A Story of Rage and Love
by hortensetheowl
Summary: We all know the story of Soren's brother Kludd, but what do we truly know of the owl he once was? Has he always been full of hatred and blood? Where does his rivalry with Soren truly begin? And how did Kludd and Nyra fall in love? This is the untold story of how a simple Barn Owl became a feared tyrant. This is the story of Metal Beak
1. Prologue

Prologue

On a warm summer evening in the Forest Kingdom of Tyto, all seemed calm. The crickets chirped in their usual way, and the moon sliced through the tall evergreens, giving all of them – particularly the blue green spruce trees – an ethereal, silvery glow. But in a fir tree near a branch of the River Hoole, the atmosphere was anything but calm.

"But why, Da?" A young nestling shreed, his voice quivering with upset. "The St. Aggies raids will only grow stronger, and they won't care about the blessings of peace. And the rouge smith here is one of the best in the Southern Kingdoms. Why, just last night, Leroy was telling me that he and his da – "

"Kludd Alba," the owlet's father said in a voice as cold as iron, "I do not give a steaming pile of racdrops what Leroy and his family do. I am not getting battle claws, and I refuse to allow discussion of such things in this hollow. If you are a wise young owl, I firmly hope that you will drop the matter, because such discussions will produce no results here!" And with that, the father flew off in a huff, with the mother, who had been covering the ear slits of Kludd's younger brother for most of the discussion, not too far behind. With that, the nest maid, a blind snake with scales the colour of dawn, continued to clean the nest, as she had been during the argument.

Kludd sighed, trying desperately to calm himself down. He then whispered tentatively to his younger brother, who was still covered in down, "Soren, don't you think that maybe Da might be – " But when he turned his head in Soren's direction, his younger brother was scratching a picture of the Great Ga'Hoole Tree – a place that was a favourite subject of the stories their Da told – into the wall behind him.

_Probably just as well. _Kludd thought to himself. _He wouldn't give a steaming pile of racdrops either. _By all means, Soren was a decent enough brother to Kludd – polite, loving, and respectful. However, in Kludd's mind, he lacked both the courage to stand up to his older brother and the imagination to consider more than the blessings of peace their father spoke of so often. Kludd was often quite rough towards his younger brother, and while his father's lectures annoyed him frequently, he did feel a teensy bit bad most of the time and wished Soren could simply stand up to him. Hopefully, he would grow more courage in the future, but until then, Kludd supposed it was his duty to teach his brother to stand up for himself.

_And he'll need these lessons more then ever now. _Kludd thought to himself. _I've heard horrible tales about these St. Aggie's owls. What if one of them snatches us while Mum and Da are out hunting? What if they snatch Soren while _I'm _gone? Someone will have to defend the hollow, and while Mrs. Plithiver would probably be able to warn us, that is the only way she could help us. At least I'll be able to stay in the hollow for a little while after First Flight. Perhaps after that, I can convince Da to let me have battle claws, and when those brutes from St. Aggie's come, I'll be ready._

As night turned to day and Kludd settled into his nest, his last thoughts were, _I'll defend this hollow. If it's the last thing I do, I'll defend our family._


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

From a branch in the fir tree that he called his home, Kludd viewed carefully the forest landscape before him. Earlier that day, his parents, along with Mrs. Plithiver, had left the hollow to go visit a friend of theirs, who had recently lost on of her hatchlings, and had put Kludd in charge until they got back. After they were gone, Kludd decided that it would be best if Soren stayed in the hollow while he kept a lookout for St. Aggie's patrols. Soren had, of course, objected, saying that Da had told them both to stay put in the hollow, but Kludd had eased his fears by promising Soren that he wouldn't be too far, and that, on each branch, he would shree once if he was alright and twice if something was wrong. He had even promised Soren that he could sleep in Kludd's nest for the night if he kept quiet to their parents and Mrs. P, as she was often called. With that, Soren promised to keep his beak shut, and Kludd made his way out the branch that led directly to their hollow and, after doing a careful check of his surroundings, shreed once to let Soren know all was well, as promised, doing the same thing with each subsequent branch. His new sister Eglantine, thankfully, stayed silent on the matter.

Now, as Kludd leaped to a branch far behind the hollow, he scanned the new horizon he saw before him. _Maybe being noisy isn't such a bad thing after all. _Kludd churred to himself, remembering his Da's earlier critique of his branching skills. _Sure scared those St. Aggie's thugs away. _No sooner was Kludd about to shree his signal, however, than he heard the sound of wings flapping, and within moments several large Barn Owls had landed on the same branch. For a moment, terror filled Kludd's gizzard, and he considered shreeing twice to communicate to Soren that something had happened, when he noticed the metallic glint of steel in the moonlight. _Are those…_ Kludd thought to himself, his gizzard trembling in both awe and fear as he stared at their shining battle claws.

"I see you've taken an interest in our battle claws." A voice said, sounding interested, if not slightly amused. The voice had a lovely sort of lilt to it, Kludd noted, but he still held his ground. "No!" Kludd growled out defensively, although it was more of a shriek than a growl. "I won't let you take my siblings to St. Aggie's. I won't!"

The voice churred, a gentle chur Kludd would have found soothing, were he not so nervous, and replied, "Such a bold young Tyto, defending his family like that." Eventually, the owner of the voice joined the other Barn Owls in front of Kludd, and Kludd's bottom beak almost hit the forest floor; she was perhaps both the largest and most beautiful Barn Owl he had ever seen. Her black eyes sparkled like a midnight sky full of stars, the feathers on her wings and back were a lovely tan colour, her beak was a lovely peach shade that reminded Kludd of a rose his mum once brought home, and her chest and face feathers were a pure white, purer than Kludd thought possible for a Barn Owl. Her face, in itself, reminded Kludd of the moon – or at least, what little he'd seen of it in the forest.

"I promise you, young Tyto, we are not from St. Aggies and mean no harm." The moon – faced owl promised. "Well…" Kludd stammered, then regained his composure and shreed, "Then who are you, where are you from, and what do you want?" "Of course." The moon-faced owl replied. "It is understandable that you do not trust us. In any case, I am Nyra, adjunct general of the Tytonic Union of the Pure Ones."

"The whatta – what – what?" Kludd asked, shaking his head in confusion. Nyra churred. "The Tytonic Union of the Pure Ones, or simply, the Pure Ones. We are a group that believes that Tytos are among the purest species of owls, and we hope to populate all the owl kingdoms with owls of these species." This explanation relaxed Kludd's fears, but piqued his curiosity as well. "Tell me more." Kludd said, fixating his eyes once again on their battle claws.

And tell him more they did. Kludd was fascinated with the stories they told, which were nothing like those of his Da. There had been a story about the small part of Ambala that they had conquered recently, they had told him of Tytian, a small ruler they had driven out of a part of Silverveil, which they had later claimed, and countless others which impressed Kludd greatly. Eventually, Nyra spoke up. "On this particular night, we have been searching the owl kingdoms for recruits, and we believe you have potential." She then leaned over and whispered into Kludd's ear slit, "There is always room for fresh blood."

_This might be my chance. _Kludd thought to himself. _I will protect my family, make Mum and Da proud! _"I would definitely be interested." Kludd said, no hesitation in his voice. "But…" he added, a note of sadness in his voice, "I haven't had First Flight yet."

Nyra churred once more, and Kludd swore he had never heard a lovelier sound. "I'm sure this won't be an issue." She replied, and Kludd thought he would faint. "I'll speak to the High Tyto and see what we can do." _And he'll let him join, I'm sure. _Nyra thought to herself. _He would make a wonderful Pure One. I can sense the fires of blood and rage stirring in his gizzard._

Eventually, Kludd pulled himself out of the trance Nyra put on him and remembered what he was here to do. "Well," Kludd stated, "I best be letting my brother and sister know that I'm okay. They're probably worried sick about me."

"Of course." Nyra nodded sympathetically, before adding, "What is your name, young'un?"

"Kludd." Kludd replied steadily. "Kludd Alba."

"Well, Kludd," Nyra said, a smile gracing her moon like face, "talons crossed we meet again. And please do think about it." And with that she, along with the other Barn Owls with her, hopped off the branch and flew away into the night as Kludd quickly hopped branch by branch, back to his hollow.

When he at last got back, he was bombarded with questions by none other than Soren. "Where were you? What happened? Are you alright?" "I'm fine, Soren, really." Kludd replied. "I just got distracted by the view and lost track of time." He didn't tell Soren about Nyra or any of the Barn Owls he had met. "You're not going to tell Da, are you?"

Soren shook his head no. "Cross my heart." He said simply. "Hope to fly." And never in Kludd's life had he ever been so happy with his brother. "Thank you." He said, carrying Soren towards his nest and plopping him down ever so gently before adding, "As promised."

That night, after Noctus, Marella, and Mrs. P returned home, Noctus told his hatchlings stories of Ga'Hoole like he always did. But when Kludd fell asleep that night, Soren tucked under his wing, his last thoughts were of Nyra, and an almost giddy feeling had settled into his gizzard.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Nyra and her top lieutenant Stryker, along with a company of other Barn Owls, flew back to their fortress on the borders of Tyto and Ambala, the full shine moon casting a silvery light on their wings as they glided through the night. A Sooty patrol shrieked out a greeting, "Hail, Adjunct General Nyra returns!" Thousands of Barn, Grass, Masked, and Sooty Owls stood tall, shoulders erect, but Nyra barely regarded them. Her thoughts were on the young nestling Kludd. _Such a handsome young owl. And with more rage in his gizzard than any owl I've ever seen! He'll be a perfect Pure One ruler of the Southern Kingdoms – and the Northern Kingdoms!_

Nyra herself had been hatched in the Northern Kingdoms, near the Bitter Sea, to be precise, on the night of a lunar eclipse. There was something special about owlets who hatched on the night of a lunar eclipse, Nyra later learned. An enchantment was cast upon that creature, sometimes good leading to greatness of spirit, and sometimes bad leading to pure evil. But in the eyes of her father, all she amounted to was seagull splat after her mother died; finally, one day, she killed the miserable mooncalf and flew off to the Southern Kingdoms, where she came across the High Tyto, a grizzled old Barn Owl named Agamemnon and his mate Leonie. Neither asked any questions about where she came from; they simply led her to the Pure Ones fortress and took her in right away. She proved herself to the Pure Ones within days, revealing herself to be a cunning and vicious owl. Eventually, Leonie fell ill and died, causing Agamemnon – or "Ag", as Nyra once heard Leonie call him – to take Nyra as his mate. He was a disgusting old owl, and Nyra hoped desperately that Glaux would take him soon. On the other wing, however, if he died, there would be no one but her to lead, and if she died, who then? This was precisely why she wanted Kludd; he would be perfect, she just knew it.

She must have been flying faster than she thought, because before long, she arrived at the throne of Ag himself. Per custom, she dipped her head in obeisance, as did the other owls in her party, before approaching Ag, whose back was turned to them. "Your Pureness," she began, "we have successfully recruited scores of Tytos young and old to our ranks."

"Did you not think I guessed that, Nyra?" Ag said, his voice a low, raspy growl. "Did you think, for one second, I would let any of you stand before me if you hadn't? You clearly have other business to attend to, my dear, or else why would you be blathering on about things unimportant to me?" By this time, Ag had turned to face them, his dark, black eyes glaring from his scarred, white face.

_Always one to get to the point, _Nyra thought to herself, then proceeded. "There is a nestling, Your Pureness," she whispered, "that I believe to be a cut above the rest. I found him in Tyto, in a fir tree near the River Hoole."

"And what makes you believe," Ag cut her off, "that this nestling is so special, my dear?"

Nyra flinched at the High Tyto's tone, but she pressed on. "I saw the look in his eyes, Your Pureness, when he first fastened our eyes on our battle claws. It was the look of pure, absolute rage that could not be quelled." The Pure Ones, in their twisted minds, equated rage to courage, and therefore valued it above all other traits. "I do think that an owl such as this will be essential to the Pure Ones' domination of all the owl kingdoms – not just those of the South, but those of the North as well."

Ag cocked his head, which Nyra took as a sign that he was interested. "He has not yet learned to fly, so we could not bring him here to you; otherwise, we would, so that you could see for yourself the rage and blood in his eyes. However, when he has had his First Flight ceremony, perhaps we can invite him to a ceremony of our own, and he shall prove himself as a Pure One."

For a moment, an unnerving silence filled the ruins. Then, at last, Ag spoke up. "This nestling you speak of", he said slowly, almost cautiously, "what is his name?" "Kludd, Your Pureness." Nyra replied. "Kludd Alba."

Ag gave a barely perceptible nod, then wrote something down on a piece of parchment and sent for one of his messengers, a one – eyed Sooty Owl named Blackwing. "Take this to the Forest Kingdom of Tyto, to the tree of Kludd Alba…" "A fir near the Tyto branch of the River Hoole." Nyra offered. "Yes, yes," Ag replied, dismissing her with a wave of his port wing. "Do not give it to any owl unless they identify themselves as Kludd Alba, even if they live in that location." With that, Blackwing was off, and Ag leaned towards Nyra. "If you are right, my dear," he said in a lecherous tone, "victory shall be ours, and you and I will have power beyond measure."

_What a flatterer. _Nyra thought derisively, but she held her tongue. "Your Pureness," she replied, a sly sparkle lighting her eyes, "has my gizzard ever been wrong before?"

Kludd was shaking. His parents, siblings, and even Mrs. P were asleep when he got the message from Blackwing. Everyone else in the hollow was sound asleep, but Kludd was wide awake as he read and reread the scroll over and over again.

_To Kludd Alba,_

_It has come to our attention via a Pure One patrol that you have shown potential to be a member of the Tytonic Union of Pure Ones. According to this patrol, you have shown yourself to be an owl of great rage and ferocity, and may lead the Pure Ones to glory and power. Thereby, it has been agreed that, after you have mastered your First Flight ceremony, you will be invited to partake in a ceremony typical to the Tytonic Union of Pure Ones._

_Should you choose to accept this invitation, you must fly towards the ruins of a castle belonging to the Others in a section of Tyto known as Redwood. There, you will be briefed on what is expected at ceremonies typical to the Union as well as customs of the Union. After you complete your first Pure One ceremony, if you are successful, you will be initiated into the Pure One ranks and become an immediate member. This information is not to be shared with anyone else; bury this note immediately upon reading it._

_Their Pureness',_

_High Tyto Agamemnon & Adjunct General Nyra_

Kludd read the note one last time, committing it to memory, and then, using his beak and talons, climbed down to the forest floor below, dug a neat little hole near the base of the tree, put the note in, and then buried it per the instructions. He then climbed back up the tree to his hollow, being careful so as to make no noise, and sat back in his nest. He was, however, still not ready to sleep. He was invited to attend a ceremony of the Pure Ones! What would it be like? Would it be full of glory and stimulated battles? One thing was for sure: he would never find out if he didn't complete his First Flight ceremony smoothly.

Indeed, the last thing he did before he finally fell asleep was look at the pair of wings tucked at his sides and whisper, "Keep your racdrops together."

**Authors Note: Hey, sorry I was away so long, school has been kicking my ass! Okay, so as most of you have probably noticed, no one in "Guardians of Ga'Hoole" has given the old High Tyto a proper name (which is one of the few grievances I have w/ Kathryn Lasky), so I decided to give him one. For those of you who don't know, Agamemnon is a king from Ancient Greek mythology who, after the Trojan War, was murdered by his wife and her lover, and I found the name quite fitting since… well, you know. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for all the love you've given so far!**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ever since he received the note from Ag and Nyra, Kludd had great difficulty containing his excitement. He paid more attention to his Da's branching lectures, complained less and less, and even played with Eglantine some nights. Everyone had noticed the change, including Mrs. P, who remarked that Kludd was becoming a fine young owl. "He'll grow up to be a wonderful part of Tyto;" she said, "I have no doubt in my mind."

Finally, the night of his First Flight ceremony came. His mum, da, and Mrs. P had gathered on a branch outside the hollow, along with Soren and Eglantine. "Kludd Alba," his father began, "we have gathered tonight to honour your very First Flight. This is a very special occasion, as it will mark the first wing beat in your passage from owlet to grown owl. And so here, we gather, in the manner all owl families gather, to celebrate." And then, in her raspy voice, Kludd's mum began to sing the song many owls sang for these ceremonies:

_The time it has come,_

_Your feathers have fledged,_

_For your very First Flight_

_Right off of this ledge._

_May Glaux keep you now_

_On your very first flight,_

_May this ceremony now_

_Be blessed in his sight_

_This is it. _Kludd thought to himself, his pulse racing. _If I do this, I will become my own owl. If I do this, I will be free. If I do this, I am one step closer to being a Pure One. _With this thought, Kludd spread his wings and lifted off, circling around the group of trees near his home – two firs, like his, a pine, and a cedar. When he came back, there was great cheering and hooting. "Three cheers for Kludd and his amazing flight!" Soren whooped. And as the night filled with hoots and shrieks from his family and neighbouring owls, Kludd felt a thrill coursing through him. At long last, he could fly!

After his First Flight ceremony, Kludd's parents had instructed him not to go out of the hollow unless they were around. Kludd promised that he wouldn't, but in his mind, he was formulating a plan to fly to Redwood – and to the Pure Ones. This was a trip he could not tell his parents about, nor Soren, nor Eglantine, nor Mrs. P – no one. He would be making this journey on his own.

One morning, Kludd woke up to the feeling of the sun hitting his face. He blinked a bit, trying to adjust to the feeling of the bright light on his eyes, then with a start, remembered why he woke up. _It's time. _Kludd reminded himself, stepping tentatively onto the branch outside the hollow entrance, before carefully spreading his wings and, as silently as possible, taking off.

As soon as he was a good distance away from the fir tree, Kludd began scanning the ground below for any signs of the Pure One fortress. _They could have given some details on what Redwood looked like. _Kludd thought to himself, but his thoughts were soon interrupted by the approach of a large Barn Owl – a female by the looks of it, but, to Kludd's disappointment, not Nyra.

"What is your name?" Asked the female in a curt, no – nonsense voice. Kludd puffed out his chest a little, not as a threat display, but as a display of respect. "Kludd Alba, ma'am." He replied, his voice showing little of the nervousness racking his body now. The female had clearly been in many battles; a scare raked down her breast, and there was a patch of mouse fur where her left eye should have been. "I am Lieutenant Morgana; I shall lead you to your fellow recruits." With that, Morgana took a steep dive into the forest below, and Kludd soon followed suit.

The first thing Kludd noticed about the fortress was the strange, coloured openings surrounding it; some were intact, others had their tops missing. Within moments, Kludd noticed the entire fortress looked strange; it was made of many stones stacked on top of one another, and there was ivy crawling up one of the walls. Morgana and Kludd eventually lighted down in a big room with an ancient, gilded perch (if Kludd could even call it that), on which a large, battle – scarred Barn Owl sat. As Kludd looked around, he noticed that all of the owls in the room were some kind of Tyto, and not just Barn Owls – Kludd saw Masked Owls, Grass, and Sooties as well. He even noticed a Bay Owl standing guard, although Kludd couldn't help but wonder if Bay Owls could even be considered Tytos. He was interrupted by a flash of white as bright as the moon, and looked up to see Nyra flying towards the throne, his gizzard now a flutter. He wedged himself into a spot in which he would be able to see her – next to another Barn Owl and a Grass Owl. After the commotion in the room died down, the battle – scarred Barn Owl spoke.

"Welcome, young Barn Owls." He said, his voice reminding Kludd of the sound of his fir tree during a windstorm. "Welcome to the Tytonic Union of the Pure Ones. I am the High Tyto, and that is all you need to know." He then waved a wing towards Nyra. "This is my Adjunct General, Nyra. She will be in charge of making sure you stay in line." Nyra then puffed her chest proudly, and Kludd couldn't help but admire now how the daylight gleamed off her feathers, making her more and more radiant.

"You are here," the High Tyto went on, "because, like us, you believe that we Tytos are the purest of all the owl species. You are here because we have seen pureness in you, and we believe you have potential. You have often heard it said that Tytos were once a rare species, and that there are many who are still hunted now beyond Tyto. Well, it is time to stop hiding and fight for that which you know to be true!" He then turned his head toward a group of owls whom Kludd presumed were soldiers. "As you can see," the High Tyto said, "many of the soldiers before you have been scarred defending that truth. Lieutenant Stryker," he said, gesturing to a muscular Barn Owl closest to the throne, "got a nasty scar on his wing from a skirmish in Silverveil. Commander Moonsable," he went on, gesturing to a larger Barn Owl whose face was close to featherless, "lost a talon while fighting with hawks in Ambala." The owl called Moonsable held up his starboard foot for all to see, and many owls, including Kludd, crowded around him to see. "And Lieutenant Morgana," he said, gesturing to Morgana, "lost her eye in a battle in The Barrens." Kludd looked around in awe. These were fighting owls!

"Let these scars inspire you, young Tytos." The High Tyto finished. "Let them remind you that impurity is out there, and let them stir up your rage and bravery in battle. After I dismiss you, you will be paired with other owls according to your species, age, and size, and then you and your assigned group will be paired with an instructor who will teach you the ways of the Pure Ones." He then peered at the owls before him with his dark black eyes, and Kludd felt as if the High Tyto were looking right through him. "Hopefully," he added, "you will remember everything you are taught." He then waved his wing, and the owls were dismissed.

Kludd was paired with multiple Barn Owls, including a tan one who identified himself as Garth, a reddish – brown one who claimed he was named Scourge, and the Barn Owl whom Kludd stood next to in the assembly, later revealed not only to be named Cedar, but also to be the only female in his group. Kludd thought it to be an odd name, considering that Cedar's feathers were an amber colour, not light reddish – brown like most of the cedars Kludd had seen. These owls were lead into a special chamber to find a female Barn Owl awaiting them. This owl had a scar near the top of her beak, but was nevertheless lovely with feathers the colour of golden poppies.

"I am your instructor, Major Jadalyn" the owl said, her voice a soft chirping sound. "I will be your instructor during your training." She then bent down towards the owls and said in a soft giggle, "In this chamber, I would love it if you could all call me Jade." Kludd cocked his head, confused. This owl was _nothing _like the High Tyto.

"She's trying to ease our nerves." A dovelike voice said, as if reading his thoughts. Kludd turned around with a start to find Cedar peering into his dark black eyes with hers. "Some of the owls here are quite nervous about this, and so the instructors are kind to help us settle in."

"Well, I'm not scared!" The owl called Scourge piped up. "I could handle an instructor more like the High Tyto and less like this wet-pooper brained female." At this, Cedar puffed herself up at Scourge, a look of pure rage entering her eyes. "Well, no one asked you, you sprinking little mooncalf, so put a mouse in it before I put a talon in!"

A sharp shree broke through the night, and Kludd, Scourge, and Cedar turned their eyes back on Jade. "Enough!" she shrieked. "I will not tolerate such fighting in my chamber!" She then flew towards Cedar and said, "You must save all of your rage for the ceremonies, for those are where your rage will truly count." With that, Cedar murmured, "Yes, Instructor Jade" and stepped back into line, flashing a glare at Scourge.

"At any rate," Jade continued, trying to get back on track, "I shall be calling you by your names, which have been written on all of your files." She then stepped up towards the tan owl known as Garth. "You are Garth Talonson of Silverveil, correct?"

"Yes, Instructor Jade." Garth said, dipping his head.

Jade nodded. "Your father was an esteemed commander here." She said, even softer than before. "I have great hope for you." Garth swelled a bit at the mention of his father, and Kludd couldn't help but feel that Garth's father had done amazing things.

Jade then stepped up to Scourge. "And you are Pigwidgeon McGonagall, correct?" The moment the name was spoken aloud, Kludd could hear Cedar churring quietly but vigorously, and Kludd couldn't blame her. _What kind of a name is Pigwidgeon McGonagall for a Tyto? _He thought to himself.

The owl called Pigwidgeon puffed up in anger. "I am Scourge, terror of the Shadow Forest!" he shreed desperately over Cedar's snickers, which were quietly dying down. Jade merely nodded and added, "I am sure you will make a fine addition to the Union." She then made her way over to Cedar. "And you must be Cedar Plicata of Ambala."

Mustering up all the seriousness she had, Cedar bowed her head and said, "Yes, Instructor Jade."

A smile seemed to grow on Jade's face. "I have heard many good things from scouts in that region. They say you are a fine soldier of great rage." Cedar swelled up a bit, and Jade went on. "I can already tell that you will find greatness here." She was just about to fly back to her perch when she caught sight of Kludd and stopped. "Funny," she said, "I have no records in my files of you."

Kludd stiffened, dread filling his being. "I was spotted on a scouting patrol by Adjunct General Nyra in Tyto and was invited by her and the High Tyto here. I just joined today, however." Cedar, Garth, and even Scourge looked at him, obviously impressed, and Jade's bottom beak almost hit the floor. Regaining her composure, Jade turned to face Kludd. "The High Tyto and the Adjunct General themselves, huh?" She said, her voice breathy. "They must've seen something truly special in you. What is your name?"

Kludd then drew himself to full height, and replied, "Kludd, Instructor Jade. Kludd Alba."

Jade blinked for a moment, and then replied. "Well, Kludd Alba, I'll be sure to keep an eye on you." She then whispered into his ear slit, "If your parents are alive and unaware of your whereabouts, I think it would be best if you came for only the important classes and the ceremonies. I'm sure Her Pureness will understand." With that, Jade returned to her perch, and a guard nearby gave everyone a slip of parchment; when the guard was about to give Kludd his, however, Jade quickly came up and whispered something in his ear slit before the guard made marks on the parchment with a quill and gave it to Kludd.

"These," Jade revealed, "will be your schedules leading up to your first Pure One ceremony, in which you will be required to kill a neighbouring nest – maid snake in your respective kingdoms. As you may have noticed, the ceremony and the things you will learn leading up to it will be quite different from anything you have previously known. In these classes you will learn about what the Pure Ones require in terms of loyalty, fierceness, and rage. Our ceremonies, meanwhile, will test your proficiency in all of these aspects and will determine whether or not you stay in the Pure Ones. As a result," she went on, fixing her eyes on all of them as she spoke, "it is important that you learn well and pass these ceremonies." She then looked out towards the sun in the sky. "It is midday. You will need your energies for your first class. I suggest you get some sleep."

At this, Garth, Scourge, and Cedar settled into different niches, and Jade tucked her head under her wing. Kludd, however, lifted off towards home, and as he left, he could've sworn he heard Nyra's voice say, "See you First Black."

**A/N: Wow, this was a long chapter! I apologize if I went overboard. So anyways, I'm super excited to write about Kludd's first ceremony with the Pure Ones. If you guys have any suggestions or advice, I'd love to hear it. Also, does anyone else picture any voice actors for these roles? Maybe it's just me, but I see Chloe Grace Moretz as Cedar. Idk, again, that's just me. As always, show some love and review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Guardians of Ga'Hoole, "The Times They Are A-Changing", which was partially the inspiration for the song Marella sings at Kludd's First Flight, or the Harry Potter or Warriors series, for which I got the inspiration for both Scourge's real name and his alias; full credit goes to their respective writers.**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next night, after his parents left at the break of First Black to go hunting, Kludd crept to the edge of the hollow, ready to go back to Redwood and to the Pure Ones. He was about to lift off into the black when he heard a soft voice whispering, "Kludd? Where are you going?"

Much to his horror, Kludd turned around to find the black eyes of his brother peering at him. "I've been asked to attend a secret meeting of noble owls." He said, not quite sure why he didn't tell Soren the truth. Soren, however, simply looked a little longer and then fell back asleep. Relieved that Soren didn't push the matter, Kludd took off into the night. Tonight would be his, Garth, Scourge, and Cedar's first fighting class, and he was eager to see what he might learn.

"Where were you when First Lavender appeared?" Garth asked when Kludd arrived at the chamber where they met Jade the previous morning. "We thought you had been owlnapped."

"I flew back home." Kludd replied, aware of how stupid that sounded. "I snuck out of my hollow after my parents left to go hunting this evening."

"Well, I'll be!" Cedar's voice boomed through the chamber as she joined the conversation, her black eyes bright with excitement. "Kludd Alba, favoured by Adjunct General Nyra, rebelling against his own parents! I like it!" She then turned her head towards Kludd and added, "You've got some serious gall grot, Alba; a few of the owls here could stand to learn something from you."

Just as Cedar finished speaking, Jade appeared with slips of parchment in her talons. "Alright, everyone, listen up." Jade said, her voice still chirpy, yet commanding attention. Kludd couldn't help but wonder if she was anything besides an instructor. "These," she said, gesturing to the parchment slips, "are your identification notices. These will allow you to be able to be identified by all Pure One officers and will allow you to go anywhere you like." She then handed a slip to each of the four owls before her, and as she did so, she added in a serious voice, "Keep them will you at _all _times."

After having received their identification notices, they were dismissed to their first class, which they had to walk to via a long corridor. As they walked, Kludd decided to better get to know his chambermates. "So, Cedar," he began, addressing the amber-coloured owl as he spoke, "how did you end up joining the Pure Ones?"

Cedar cocked her head, as if to try and find any trace of an insult within Kludd's question, then answered, "You know that there aren't many Barn Owls outside of Tyto, correct?" Kludd nodded. "Well, as you and everyone else probably knows, I am from the Kingdom of Ambala, which borders Tyto, Kuneer, and The Barrens, separated from The Beaks by the River Hoole. My family, the Plicata family, is one of the oldest Barn Owl families there, so I guess you could say we're the closest to royalty a kingdom like Ambala might have."

"You've probably noticed that I have a name that doesn't match my appearance at all." Cedar went on. Kludd nodded again. "There's a reason for it; my father named me after the tree I was hatched in. It's a sort of tradition in my family; I had a cousin who was hatched in Silverveil and was named Silver because of it. Anyways, the cedar I hatched in ended up being burned down in a forest fire, but my name stuck, even after my owlet down molted and my adult feathers grew in. To make things worse, many owls in Ambala are fairly superstitious, particularly about Barn Owls, and so I was teased heavily as a result."

"One day, a pair of Spotted Owls began heckling me while I went on a casual flight. They were teasing me something fierce, chanting, 'Little Cedar, little Cedar, caught a mouse and couldn't eat her' and asking if I was pale, if I needed to be fed. I tried to ignore them, tried to keep flying, but they wouldn't go away. Finally, one of them said something really nasty; I can't quite remember what it was, something about albinos, but it set me off and then…" Cedar paused, more for dramatic effect than out of shame. "I clawed both of their faces. I think I blinded one of them."

Kludd's eyes widened, both impressed and envious of Cedar's obvious experience. Noting his reaction, Cedar continued. "As it turned out, Stryker and another Lieutenant, Uglamore I think, had seen what happened and flew up to congratulate me. Stryker told me he was impressed with the sheer power of my rage and offered me a spot amongst the Pure Ones. I wanted it so bad, and so I trained with a retired commander living in Kuneer. From him, I learned how to attack undetected in all kinds of environments, from deserts to forests to canyons." Cedar's eyes glittered with a new fierceness. "And when he thought that I was ready, he escorted me here and I took up Stryker's offer."

For the rest of the walk, Garth talked a bit about his family history with the Pure Ones, Scourge bragged about his supposedly epic feats prior to his arrival, and Cedar simply rolled her eyes and every once in a while, remarked, "Oh, yes, I bet the entire Shadow Forest must be terrified of you, Pigwidgeon." Kludd, however, stayed silent, his eyes fixed on Cedar. She was undoubtedly a skilled and fierce warrior, and Kludd could learn a lot from her.

"Welcome, class, to your first fighting lesson." Shreed a muscular Masked Owl with scars where his right eye should have been. "I am Sublieutenant Katana, and I shall be your instructor for this class."

"Katana?" Scourge whispered, the contempt in his voice evident. "Sounds like a female's name."

"Indeed it does, Pigwidgeon." Kludd retorted, and Scourge's eyes filled with hatred for him. Kludd, however, ignored it.

"Today," Katana went on, "you shall practice testing your skills, as well as learning those of your opponents and figuring out where their weaknesses lie. You will be paired with opponents of different sizes and strengths to yours, and as you win each fight, you will be paired with more skilled fighters until, eventually, you will be paired with one who matches you in strength, size, and skill. For this reason, it is important that you not give your opponent time to think about how to defeat you."

For his first fight, Kludd was paired with a Lesser Sooty by the name of Dustin. Dustin charged at Kludd with great speed and ferocity, but Kludd dodged it, wedging himself into a niche nearby. This move had little to do with fear; it allowed him to be undetected by Dustin, giving Kludd more opportunity to study his opponent. He was a very fast owl, Kludd had to admit, and could attack with great ferocity. However, a blow from above might be enough to take him down – or at least cut the fight short. With that, Kludd plunged into a classic kill spiral and plunged head first into the back of Dustin's head, knocking him senseless.

A loud shree then stopped the fight, and Katana stepped towards Kludd, dark eyes studying the young owl. "Well done…" began Katana, unable to finish that sentence. "Kludd Alba." Kludd finished. Katana gave him a nod and then, wrapping a wing around Kludd, turned to the rest of the class. "Take a look at Mr. Alba, here." He rasped in a commanding voice. "Notice the way he was able to harness the element of surprise, and how he used it to his advantage. I hope you all can learn something from his example." The owls listening began studying Kludd closely, and a few even wilfed.

For the rest of the class, Kludd was paired with various owls of different kinds, all of them Tytos nevertheless. Some were more difficult than others, but for each fight, Kludd was able to keep himself hidden from his opponent's sight, allowing him to find a weak spot on his opponent and attack with great force. The further he excelled, the more owls began to wilf. How would they ever be able to live up to the expectations being set by this young Tyto?

For his final fight, Kludd was paired up with Garth, while Cedar, who was also excelling, was paired with Scourge. Upon hearing this Scourge protested. "She's a female!" He cried. "There's no way that's a fair fight for Scourge." In response, Cedar simply scratched his face and said, "Act like a mooncalf, get clawed like a mooncalf." Kludd was not prepared to make the same mistake with either Cedar or Garth; Garth's father was a commander here, and Cedar he already knew was a fierce fighter. He would have to think critically.

Garth charged at Kludd, and Kludd dodged it like he did with his previous opponents. Kludd then went for a blow to the side, but Garth, to his surprise, dodged that as well. "Not bad, Kludd." Said Garth, shaking his feathers. "Let's see you try and attack me directly."

For the remainder of the fight, Kludd and Garth dealt each several blows, many of which ended up being dodged by the other. Having won in her fight with Scourge, Cedar came to watch the fight, and those who weren't grievously injured followed suit. The fight dragged on and on, with almost no end in sight. Then, Kludd had an idea.

_Notice the way he was able to harness the element of surprise. _Katana's words came back to Kludd, and he crumpled down onto his back, feigning defeat. Seeing his chance, Garth sprang upon Kludd, ready to deal the blow that would fully declare him victorious, and was right above him when Kludd lifted his claws and raked Garth's belly – not enough to mortally wound him, but enough to give him a good scar. Garth, in pain but nevertheless impressed by Kludd's strategy, fell to the ground and raised his starboard wing, signaling his defeat.

Massive cheers erupted from the owls surrounding them, the loudest of them all coming from Cedar, while Katana simply stood there, his eyes gleaming with pride at this exceptional young pupil. As the crowd died down, Kludd went to help Garth up and lead him to the infirmary to treat his wound. "I hope you aren't upset at me."

"Hardly." Garth replied, despite the blood that stained his belly feathers red. "I can already tell you are going to be a legend." He then added, his eyes sparkling, "And when you do, I'll be proud to say that you gave me my first scar."

**A/N: Hello again! As you can see, I am hoping now to be a bit more regular in my updates. I realize that my previous schedule may have been inconvenient to some of you, and I apologize. For those of you wondering, yes, I did base Cedar's response to Scourge's outburst in fight class on a scene in "Kick Ass 2" I found that part to be hilarious, and I soon got the idea of Cedar beating the pellets out of somebody and saying that line. I have a feeling Cedar might get her own spinoff when this is over. As always, show some love and review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Guardians of Ga'Hoole or any part of the Kick Ass franchise; full credit goes to their respective creators.**


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

For the next few moons, Kludd's life followed a familiar rhythm; he would leave after his parents left, usually at the break of First Black, arrive at the Pure One fortress, attend Pure One classes where he learned about what it meant to be a Pure One, leave as soon as he could, making sure to let a guard know where he was going and that he would return, come back to the hollow before his parents could find out, and go to sleep, waking up to much of the same the next day. Soren, for his part, never asked Kludd where he went or what he did, and if Eglantine or Mrs. P suspected anything, they didn't let on; it was probably just as well that none of them know, although he did feel a tad guilty about lying to them.

Nevertheless, Kludd enjoyed his classes and liked interacting with many of his classmates. He had become particularly good friends with Cedar and Garth; they admired him for both his strength and cunning in battle and his rebellious attitude, and Cedar even called him 'Rebel' sometimes. In his classes, he was earning the admiration and respect of both his peers and his instructors; he was proving himself to be not only a quick and eager learner, but to be a strong candidate for the Pure Ones' highest ranks as well. Kludd's favourite classes, however, had to be the ones on rage; he still remembered his first one, which was taught by a Grass Owl soldier known as Nighthawk. He wore a mechanical battle claw where his left foot should have been, and his eyes burned like onyx fire.

"Now, class", he began, his voice a deep growl, "what is the purpose of rage?"

"To give us strength in times of battle." A Barn Owl named Brutus answered. Brutus had been placed under a different instructor than Kludd, a jolly fellow by the name of Cassius.

"Very good, Mr. Citius." Replied Nighthawk. "Now who can tell me the best type of owls to direct such rage to?"

"The Impure, sir." Answered Cedar, her voice ringing through the fortress.

Nighthawk nodded, then went on. "Very good." He replied. "Can anyone here expand on Miss Plicata's answer?"

Kludd thought for a moment about the owls of St. Aggie's; how they had been stealing owlets and eggs from nest. He felt a burning feeling sweep through him, one that set fire to his gizzard and consumed his entire being. He then looked Nighthawk dead in the eye and answered, in a tone unfamiliar to him, "The best owls to direct our rage to our those who are not only impure in body, but also impure in mind and in spirit, for they are a blight to the owl kingdoms."

The entire class was stunned into silence for a moment, and then Nighthawk broke it. "Excellent answer, Mr. Alba. Alright, class, I will now show you techniques on building and storing your rage and hatred…" _So that's what rage feels like. _Kludd thought, fascinated by this new feeling.

From that point on, Kludd became intent on honing both his fighting techniques and the power of his rage, the way a blacksmith honed battle claws. And it was just as well, too, for before he knew it, his first Pure One ceremony had arrived: The Nest Maid Ceremony.

On the night of his Nest Maid Ceremony, Kludd did not go to the fortress in Redwood, but went instead to a part of Tyto closer to the River Hoole – and to home – to meet Ag and Nyra. For this and the Special ceremony – one which was often called Tupsi and was said to be the ultimate initiation rite – the recruits would be allowed to travel back to the kingdoms of their origin in order to perform them, but would be monitored quietly by an officer of the Pure Ones; in Kludd's case, since word had gotten out amongst the Pure Ones of his exceptional abilities, he was to be monitored by the High Tyto and Nyra themselves.

Kludd finally found them perched on a spruce branch nearby, and, as per the custom, dipped his head in obeisance. "Enough." Ag barked, cuing Kludd to raise his head. "So you're the nestling I've been hearing so much about."

"Yes, sir." Kludd replied. He felt a wave of shame but surpressed it, reminding himself that he had every reason to be proud. "My name is Kludd Alba."

Ag studied the nestling closely, sizing him up. He seemed a little too modest, and yet… there was something in this one's eyes that made Ag think he had potential. "Very well then, Kludd." He said, his voice sounding almost bored. "Show us why it is my soldiers – and my mate – feel as though you have potential." He then turned his head away dismissively, but Nyra gave him a barely perceptible nod, as if to say, "Go on, Kludd. I believe in you."

Feeling the same warm glow he felt when they first met, Kludd turned around and contracted the muscles in his facial disk, listening for a nest maid snake that might be crawling out of her tree. He had listened for a long while and was just about to give up when he spotted a relatively young nest maid slither out from a pine nearby. Seizing his chance, Kludd flew out quickly and quietly towards the snake until he was behind her head, then reached out with his talons and grabbed her gently by the throat. He didn't want to kill her just yet; he wanted to strike fear in her heart first.

Kludd then carried her higher and higher into the black, despite her struggling and her cries for help. _She's a fighter, this one. _Kludd thought to himself as he flew up over the top of Tyto. When he was at a good enough height, he stopped, peered down at the nest maid with his cark, black eyes, and said, "Long live the Pure Ones", before slitting her throat and dropping her to the ground below.

After he was satisfied that the nest maid was dead, Kludd flew back down to the spruce where Ag and Nyra were perched. For a moment, there was only silence. Then, at last, Ag spoke up. "Well done, Kludd. Looks like you may have a future with the Pure Ones after all."

"Alright, everyone, listen up." Nyra called, her voice sounding through the fortress. After his ceremony, Kludd had returned with Ag and Nyra to the fortress, where millions of other Tytos were waiting for word on whether or not they had passed theirs. As she spoke now, Kludd, Garth, Cedar, and Scourge, along with everyone else, hung on her every word. "I am going to call out the names of various Pure One instructors. If yours is among those names, that means at least one of you will be moving to the next level. Those whose names are not called, your students will have to leave the fortress." She then took out a slip of paper and began reading the names.

"Instructing the Sooties, both Greater and Lesser," she began, "Instructor Ash, Instructor Coalbeak, Instructor Dustclaw, Instructor Dirtstorm, Instructor Mudfeather, and Instructor Crowblaze." The Sooties identified swelled up with pride, and Kludd couldn't help but wonder if Dustin was in that class. His question was answered when he saw Dustin swell up as well. _He must have done really well in a lot of his classes. _Kludd thought to himself. _I'll have to watch him closely._

"Instructing the Grass Owls," Nyra went on, "Instructor Nighthawk, Instructor Wolfblitz, and Instructor Gengko." Kludd's eyes widened in surprise; he didn't think Nighthawk had a class of his own. It made him wonder what classes Jade taught when she wasn't minding him and his chambermates.

"Instructing the Masked Owls," she continued, "Instructor Toothclaw, Instructor Scorpio, and Instructor Katana." As before, millions of Tytos clacked their beaks in approval, including Kludd. He remembered how Katana had shown confidence and faith in Kludd's abilities; he was actually one of the first instructors to do so, although Kludd had sensed that Jade had very little doubts.

"And last but not least," Nyra went on, "instructing the Barn Owls, Instructor Cassius, Instructor Ragateal, and Instructor Jadalyn." Massive cheers erupted, and Kludd felt his gizzard flutter. He was now one step closer to fully being a Pure One! "Congratulations to all whose instructors names I've called." Nyra called. "The rest of you will not be moving to the next stage. Lieutenant Stryker, please ensure that these owls are escorted home."

Slowly, all the owls filed out of the room, some with crestfallen looks on their faces, others swelling with pride. Kludd was lost in his thoughts when he felt Cedar give him a friendly thwack on the back with her wing. "We're moving up!" Cedar shreed. "We have a chance of making to our Special, of being full Pure Ones; some of us might become legendary! And all thanks to you, Rebel!" She then shreed in absolute joy, and Kludd, Garth, and even Scourge shreed with her.

That night, there was a banquet for all the owls that had gone through to the next stage. Music was not normally allowed amongst the Pure Ones, but for tonight, Ag was willing to make an exception, and some of the instructors – the females, mostly – picked up lutes and sang lively songs. Revelry ruled the night, and while any Tyto that wasn't a _Tyto alba _was considered less than pure, many owls mingled and even danced with owls outside of their assigned groups and species. Cedar herself was doing a lively waltz with a Grass Owl, while Garth was demonstrating a traditional Silverveil dance to a Lesser Sooty. Scourge even did the glauc – glauc with a lovely young Masked Owl. And for the first time in his life, Kludd began to feel as if he had found a place where he truly belonged.

**A/N: Aaaaaaannnnddd we're back to the shorter chapters! So, I, for one am quite glad with how this story is turning out. I started writing this story because the sparse explanation Kathryn Lasky had in the books for Kludd being evil drove me absolutely crazy (as did his treatment by Noctus and Marella's scrooms at the end of "The Burning") and now, ****_holy crap_****, this story is just taking off in all sorts of crazy directions. I quite enjoy how this chapter ended up turning out, although I do feel a little disappointed that I didn't include more of Cedar in this chapter; she's definitely become my personal favourite, and I really hope that you guys enjoy getting to know her as much as I enjoy creating her and developing her. Look's like she'll definitely be getting her own spinoff soon. Anyways, show some love and review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Guardians of Ga'Hoole; all credit goes to Kathryn Lasky.**


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The next evening, Kludd woke up, waited for his parents to go hunting, then went back to the fortress. This time, however, Kludd stopped and looked at the parchment map in his talons before flying in to join his chambermates.

The previous morning, as the graduated owls flew back towards their chambers, Jade pulled Kludd aside and gave him the map. "Tomorrow evening," she explained, "we will have moved from our chambers into new quarters. I've already been told where we will be staying for the next term and have marked it on this map so that you can find it." By this point, Jade was well aware of Kludd's normal routine amongst them and had been very willing to make concessions. Nevertheless, she then whispered into Kludd's ear slit, "Let's hope your parents allow you to leave the nest soon. You can't fly with a wing in both worlds forever."

Kludd felt a little offended that Jade, of all owls, would question his loyalty to the Pure Ones, but he knew she had a point. Sooner or later, he would have to leave his family behind and stay with the Pure Ones for good. He hoped it was soon, too; he was getting tired of having to lie to Soren and Eglantine and Mrs. P. He wished he didn't have to, they had put such great faith in him, and he hated the idea of –

Suddenly, a light dawned within Kludd's gizzard. _That's it! _He thought to himself as he turned back around towards home. He wasn't quite ready to tell everyone just yet, but there was one young owl he wanted his chambermates to meet.

"Are we there yet?" Soren whispered to Kludd as they flew through the fortress. Kludd had decided to bring Soren with him today, on the condition that he not tell anyone about the visit. It had been hard to come up with a good bribe to keep Soren quiet, but eventually, Kludd decided that a few centipedes on the way home would do the trick.

"Almost." Kludd replied, then turned his head to face Soren. "Now, these owls do not take kindly to rude owls, so you have to be on your best behaviour, okay?" _Not that that will be too much of a problem. _Kludd thought to himself. When it came to good manners, Soren was the top of the tree.

"Okay." Soren nodded. "Atta boy." Kludd said to his brother. "And don't worry too much. These owls may look intimidating, but they're actually quite nice; you'll like them." With that, the two Barn Owls entered the new chamber to find Jade, Garth, Cedar, and Scourge staring surprised at them. "Sorry I'm late, everyone." Kludd said now in a normal speaking voice. "I hope you don't mind that I brought a visitor."

"Of course not, Kludd." Jade replied, her voice cheery. "Any friend of yours is welcome here." She then flew down to where Soren was standing and lowered her head to be on eye level with him. "And what's your name, little one?"

"I'm Soren Alba." Soren said, slightly relaxed in Jade's presence. "I'm Kludd's brother."

"Oh, melt my gizzard!" Jade cooed. "Well, you are a lucky owlet, Soren; you're brother is the top of the class here."

"With all due respect, Instructor Jade, that is the understatement of the century!" Cedar shreed in good nature, then turned to Soren and added, "Kludd and I are some of the best Tytos in this group! With any luck, we'll both be high – ranking officers by the time you've had your First Flight ceremony!"

Kludd, churring at Cedar's enthusiasm, turned to Soren. "That's my classmate Cedar." He said to his brother amused. "She's prone to overstatement." He then turned his head towards Cedar and said, "Cedar, this is my younger brother Soren. He's visiting today."

"Absolutely charmed." Cedar said, her voice now calmer. "This right here," she added, gesturing to Garth, "is our classmate Garth. And this," she went on, gesturing to Scourge, "is Pigwideon McGonagall, although he'll tell you his name is Scourge."

Soren churred quite vigorously. "That's silly." He said through his churring.

"Your quite right." Cedar replied, now churring herself. "It's very silly." She then turned towards Garth and Scourge and said, "Everyone, this is Soren, younger brother of our dear friend Kludd." Garth then stepped towards Soren and greeted him warmly, but Scourge stayed back. "Alright everyone, let's get ready for class. Soren, you can stay here with me for today." Jade said in her honey like voice. As Kludd, Cedar, and Garth got themselves ready, Soren went up to Scourge and said, "You look upset."

"I am." Answered Scourge, now facing Soren. "I hate my stupid name, I hate the owls that killed my parents –"

_So that's how Scourge got here. _Kludd thought to himself as he listened. Scourge went on. "I hate that I had to beg in order to stay alive before coming here, I hate this place and these owls. I hate it!" By this point, tears formed in Scourge's eyes, and both Kludd and Soren could not help but feel sorry for this owl. Soren then stepped closer towards Scourge.

"You wanna hear a story?" Soren asked Scourge quietly. "My da always tells me a story when I'm upset. It always makes me feel better."

With a shaky breath, Scourge used his port wing to wipe away some of his tears. "Sure." He replied, his voice broken. "I'd love to hear a story. Thank you, Soren."

"You're welcome." Soren said simply, and then began as soon as he was sure Scourge was listening. "Once upon a very long time ago, in the time of Glaux, there was an order of knightly owls, from a kingdom called Ga'Hoole, who would rise each night into the blackness and perform noble deeds…"

Soren had barely started the story before a loud shree interrupted him, and Kludd flew in front of his brother, shielding him. Above them, Jade had put her wings over her ear slits, and across from them, Garth was simply staring at them in disbelief while Cedar gave them a sharp glare. "Stop it, stop it!" Jade shreed, and Kludd turned his head toward his brother in dismay. "Soren, how could you?"

"I'm sorry." Soren said, beginning to sob. "I didn't know." "Guys, please, it wasn't his fault!" Scourge added, desperately trying to defend the young owl. But their defenses went unheard.

After the hysterics in Kludd's chamber finally died down (thanks to Garth), Kludd had decided to fly Soren back home as quickly as possible. He had planned to do so before so as not to worry their parents; however, after what had happened, this task soon became extra urgent, and as Kludd flew, he felt a shadow passing over his mind – one of rage and embarrassment at his brother. Of all the stories Soren could recite, why did it have to be a Ga'Hoolian legend – which Kludd had learned in his classes on Pure One culture was the one thing they avoided at all costs?

"Kludd?" Soren asked, interrupting Kludd's thoughts. "Are you mad at me?"

Kludd sighed in response. "Why?" he asked, his voice almost a growl. "Are you gonna tell?" "No." Soren said, shaking his head. "Then no, I can't say I'm all that mad." Kludd sighed in response. "But I'm not all that happy about it."

When they got home, Kludd showed Soren a special back way that he himself often used in coming back to the nest. After showing him how to use it and giving him the promised centipedes, Kludd flew off, the burning feeling of rage now setting both stomachs into a turmoil. Kludd now knew two things: that his loyalties were undoubtedly to the Pure Ones, and that he didn't want Soren to be a part of it.

**A/N: Way to frinkin' go, Soren! So, I wasn't quite sure what to write for this chapter, so I thought I'd try and write a beginning for Kludd's animosity towards Soren. I can honestly see Soren doing what he did, but I was quite surprised by Scourge's response. Looks like he's a lot braver than I originally gave him credit for... As always, show some love and review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Guardians of Ga'Hoole; all credit goes to Kathryn Lasky.**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

After the incident with Soren, Kludd's days went back to their previous rhythm: get up, go to the fortress, go to classes, go back home, go to bed. However, each day served a fresh reminder of Kludd's mistake, and with each day, Kludd found himself growing angrier and angrier at his brother. Cedar, Garth, and Scourge had been willing to let the incident slide, and Jade didn't say anything about the incident to anyone, but Kludd felt his rage grow hotter and hotter with each passing day.

However, Kludd was also getting closer and closer to Nyra, who had offered one week to teach him privately. She would teach him many strategic maneuvers, but they would often spend much of their classes talking. Kludd often told her many family stories – about his mum, his da, Soren, Mrs. P, and even Eglantine. Nyra would often churr at these hilarious family stories, and Kludd loved the sound of her laughter. Actually, he loved everything about her; she was the one owl who could make him forget his anger and pain.

One such evening, Kludd had flown to the fortress in secret, as usual, but flew carrying a fire lily in his beak. He had learned the previous class that these were Nyra's favourite, as they reminded her of her mother. He didn't pause to greet his chambermates, as he usually did, but flew straight to Nyra and to her class, as he knew hers would be the first class he had that day. He then landed behind Nyra and made a slight coughing sound, and as Nyra turned around, the smile on her face grew wider and wider.

"You…" she said, her voice growing soft as she looked at the orange flower. "You brought… How did…"

"It was pretty hard to find." Kludd said modestly. "I had to wake up earlier than usual and search all over Tyto to find one, but eventually I found this on a mountain on the way to the fortress. It's a good thing I found it; otherwise, I would have way too much time on my talons." He said this part with a good – natured churr.

Nyra held the delicate flower gently in her talons, admiring it from all angles possible. "It's… it's beautiful." She said, breathlessly. "But why…"

Kludd clamped his beak at that question. He had been trying to figure out the best way to explain his growing feelings for Nyra; he wanted so desperately to express them. At the same time, however, Kludd knew she had a mate, and probably would not feel the same way for him. Nevertheless, the moment the question popped out, Kludd knew there was no escaping it; she needed to know. It was now or never.

"Nyra," Kludd said, sighing not with exasperation, but with trepidation, "You are undoubtedly the best part of the Pure Ones. I've felt that way ever since I met you when you were out recruiting, and when I was invited to join the Pure Ones, I felt as though my gizzard would explode in happiness, as I wanted nothing more than for you to be a regular part of my life. You've always had so much faith in me, and I want to make you proud, because I…" Kludd then stopped. He wanted desperately to say those three words he had always heard being said to him by his mum, but they escaped him now. It was probably just as well, for Nyra now silenced him.

"Don't say it." She said, her eyes now focused on him. Kludd began to worry that he had said something wrong, but his worries faded when her smile came back. "I already know. And I feel the same way towards you." She then wrapped her wings around Kludd in a warm embrace, and Kludd, in turn, wrapped his wings around her as she spoke to him in a lovely, lilting voice, "_Erragh tuoy bit mik in strah. Erragh tuoy frihl in mi murm frissah di Naftur, regno di frahm. __Erragh tuoy bity mi plurrh di glauc._ _E mi't, di tuoy._"

Kludd cocked his head, confused. Nyra then whispered, "Your rage will be the jewel of my crown. Your rage burns in me like the fires of Naftur, ruler of the flames. Your rage is my life's blood. And mine, yours." Kludd then felt his heart flutter, and he eased himself further into Nyra's embrace until he could truly hear the beating of her heart. And as he spent more and more time in that embrace, his own heartbeat soon began to match hers.

A little ways away from where Kludd and Nyra were standing, a young Barn Owl, unnoticed by either of them, watched from a crack in the rock. For a while, he had been quite nervous around Kludd. He was, in all senses of the word, the perfect Pure One; his peers and his instructors could attest to that. Even the High Tyto seemed to favour him, although he would never admit it. His own father, too, was an esteemed Pure One commander, and he knew full well from all of his classes that the Pure Ones looked down on owls that were like him. But his other chambermates didn't seem all that mad when he told them, and now he had some hope that Kludd would be able to understand if he told him; aside from him, Kludd was the only one he knew who knew something about forbidden love.

"You love Nyra, don't you?" Garth asked Kludd as soon as he came out. Kludd knew that question would arise; Garth had been waiting outside the chamber where Kludd and Nyra had their class, most likely long enough to hear what happened. Nevertheless, Kludd tried to deny it. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, don't play innocent, Rebel." Garth replied. "Tytos have incredible hearing; I heard and saw everything. You do realize the High Tyto would be furious if he found out, right?" The warning had come out of Garth's beak, but oddly enough, there was no trace of rage in his voice. For a moment, however, there was silence as Kludd pondered the implications.

"Don't worry about it, friend." Garth said, a sadness now creeping into his voice. "I won't tell a single scroomsaw." He then lowered his head and added, "If I did, it would make me feel like a hypocrite."

Kludd's eyes widened in surprise at this statement. "What?" he said, mindful to keep his voice low. "Why would you feel like a hypocrite? You are one of the most –"

Garth then pulled him aside, turned his head from side to side looking – and listening – for others who might be nearby, then whispered, "Can you keep a secret?"

"For you?" Kludd replied. "Of course! Glaux knows your keeping a big one for me."

Garth sighed, nervous as ever. "Alright, well, you know my father is an esteemed commander here, right?" Kludd nodded. "Well, when he was hatched, his name was Logan. When he joined the Pure Ones, however, he received a new name: Purge. And for good reason, too: he made sure the Pure Ones stayed pure by purging them of Barn Owls who were crippled or who he thought of as impure in mind – that is, Tytos who liked other Tytos of the same gender as them. He was one of the best; in fact, he only made one mistake in his life as a Pure One: he hatched me."

Kludd's eyes went wide with shock. He knew a lot about individuals like this; his Da had once told him this was something that had happened to the Others quite a lot as well, and that they even had a name for it. But he didn't realize that it could happen to owls as well, and as he realized what Garth was saying now, he felt as though his legs might give way. "You mean…" Kludd stammered.

Garth simply nodded; he knew the Others' word for it too, and he remembered how his father had said it, as if it were a curse. Now, however, it was the only word that fit him. "I'm gay."

**A/N: Holy racdrops, that escalated. So, many of you may have noticed a few similarities between the Pure Ones and the Nazis (attitudes, leadership styles, etc.). One interesting thing about the Nazis is that, as it turns out, they also hated gays, so I had imagined that the Pure Ones had similar attitudes to owls like that (even though Kathryn Lasky never brought such things up - not that that's her fault). So I had pondered the idea of including a gay Tyto in a while back, but wasn't quite sure how to put him in the story without making it preachy. Nevertheless, I definitely like the way Garth's revelation ended up being timed. What about you guys? As always, show some love and review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Guardians of Ga'Hoole; full credit goes to Kathryn Lasky.**


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The rest of the day went on as usual, but Kludd's head was spinning all the way around from what he had learned that day. Garth, the son of esteemed Pure One commander Purge, was gay? It seemed so strange to Kludd; Garth appeared to be the spitting image of what his father probably was, in strength, cunning, and pure rage. And yet… there was an easygoing air around Garth, a sense of genuine friendliness with everyone he met. Kludd soon began to wonder if Purge ever had the friendly air his son did, and if so, what happened to it?

Kludd's mind was still on what happened when he got up, left the nest after his parents did, and arrived at the fortress the next evening, and it showed. While Garth and Scourge got themselves ready for classes, Cedar made her way over to Kludd and gently thumped her wing on his back. This got Kludd's attention, and he turned around to find Cedar looking intently at him.

"Something troubling ya, Rebel?" She said, although the cheer in her voice was rather forced.

"What makes you think I'm troubled, Cedar?" Kludd replied flatly. "I'm just deep in thought."

Cedar sighed. Might as well get to the point. "It's about Garth, isn't it?"

Kludd jerked his head up, surprised by the question. "How did you –"

"He told Scourge and I yesterday on the way to Fight Class." Cedar said, her voice now carrying a sad note. "He also told us what his father did when he was a Pure One and how close he was to the High Tyto. He was so scared Kludd; he's worried his own father would kill him if he found out."

Kludd stared at Cedar, shocked at what she was telling him now. He knew full well what the Pure Ones thought about owls like Garth – Tytos or otherwise – but he would never wish such a fate on Garth. A hard glint now appeared in Cedar's eyes. "Glaux damnit!" She swore under her breath as tears began to form. "You know what the majority of the recruits here have in common? They've all lost their parents; Scourge lost his to rouges –"

Kludd blinked; this was the first time Cedar hadn't addressed Scourge as Pigwidgeon. Cedar went on. "I lost my parents to Ambala's superstition, and as for you and Garth," she sighed, "Your parents lost you. You're both leading double lives here; ones that your parents would kill you if they find out." She then wiped the tears away from her eyes, and Kludd saw in her the same steely determination he had seen her put in her work. "I had been surviving on my own for most of my life." She continued. "I had almost forgotten what it meant to be in a family until I came here; until I met you guys. You, Garth, even Scourge, have become my family; I'll go against the High Tyto before I lose either of you guys."

With that, Cedar walked away, head held in the same confident manner it usually was, with Kludd following behind, deep in thought. Cedar was right; all of the young owls here had lost their families someway or another. All except for Kludd, who hid this part of his life from his family, and now, Garth, who hid an even bigger secret from his. But these four, these four had banded together and became like the family they had either lost or never truly had in the first place. Glaux had banded them together for life now, and Kludd would be damned if any of these owls were torn from him. He swore upon his scroomsaw that what he, Cedar, Scourge, and Garth knew would be their secret. And that it would stay that way.

Over the next few weeks, life went on as it normally did with Kludd. He would carry on his usual classes with his chambermates, and then go to his private classes with Nyra, which as of recently, had become more of an excuse for them to see each other. Garth had never said a word about the affair to anyone, and Kludd, in turn, never once mentioned Garth's secret; however, when he returned from Nyra's class, he could see the apprehension in Garth's eyes, as if he was worried that someone might find out. Nevertheless, he didn't push the matter, for which Kludd was forever grateful.

Finally, the night of each owls' Purity Test came. For this ceremony, they would attack and maim a non – Tyto owl as proof of their loyalty to the Pure Ones. On this night, Pure One soldiers would go out and find non – Tytos and bring them here specifically for this ceremony. There was much talk among the recruits that night about what kind of owl they might have to face, and Kludd's group was no exception.

"I hope I get an Eagle Owl or a Great Gray!" Cedar said wistfully whilst tearing into a rat that she had killed earlier that day. "Those are some of the biggest owls in all the owl kingdoms. I mean, Great Glaux, have you seen their wingspans?" She then turned to Garth, eyes bright as usual. "What about you, Garth?"

"Oh, I'm not really sure." Garth replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Sometimes I hope for a Great Horned, other times I hope for a Snowy, and then other times I hope for a Long – Eared." He then sighed and shrugged again.

"Well, whatever happens," a voice broke in, "I'll probably end up with something wimpy like an Elf or a Pygmy." Kludd turned around to find Dustin looking at them, a sad look in his eyes. "You four are lucky; us Sooties may be considered Tytos, but we're treated lower than dirt around here. Add the fact that I lost my first fight to someone who's never had any training –" Dustin said, gesturing to Kludd, "and I may as well be just another beak to feed."

"Now, now, Dustin." Said Garth, fixing his black eyes on the Lesser Sooty as he spoke. "Don't think like that. You're still a Tyto, are you not? You still have the remarkable hearing and heart – shaped face of a Tyto, you still talk, walk, and fly like a Tyto, and let's not forget, you were among the Sooties that graduated to this level. I'm sure the Pure Ones will find you an owl worthy of your claws."

At this moment, Kludd could've sworn he saw a riffle pass through Dustin's feathers. "Thank you, Garth." Said Dustin, dipping his head not in obeisance, but in true gratitude. "And I am sure you will have a worthy challenger." Garth swelled up a bit at Dustin's comment, and Kludd couldn't help but wonder if there was something he was missing. Could Garth, a perfect Pure One by most standards, be in love with Dustin?

_Why should I care? _Kludd thought to himself. _They are both Pure Ones through and through. _A shree interrupted Kludd's thoughts, and the four owls turned their heads to find Instructor Jade landing in front of them. "The High Tyto and Her Pureness will see you know Kludd." She said, standing at full attention. Garth, Cedar, and Scourge all nodded at him, and all four owls seemed to be thinking the exact same thing: _It's time._

"Enter!" Ag's voice boomed through the fortress, and Kludd flew towards his and Nyra's perches and bowed his head. Ag signaled him to raise his head, and then said, staring intently at Kludd. "Are you ready, Mr. Alba, to complete your Purity Test?"

This time, there was no hesitation in Kludd's voice. "Yes, sir." He said, his voice clear and strong. "Very well." Said Ag, before barking, "Bring in the Impure!"

At this, a guard brought forth a tiny Northern Saw –Whet in its talons, the latter owl wilfing to the point that Kludd could see its bones. "This owl," Ag explained, "has been attempting to incite rebellion in Silverveil. Perhaps, Kludd, you could show him what happens to those who resist the Pure Ones."

_He believes in me! _Thought Kludd to himself, his gizzard trembling with joy, and a smile crept across his face. "With pleasure." Kludd replied before darting towards the Saw – Whet, eyes gleaming with rage; before long, the Saw – Whet lay, gasping for breath, in a pool of his own blood, his starboard wing torn off, while Kludd stood above him. A sick smile spread across Ag's face. "Well done, Kludd." He said, a rare jovial note in his voice. "Loyalty like yours is hard to find these days."

Kludd left the room still basking in the High Tyto's praise as the words rang through his head. _Loyalty like yours is hard to find these days. _Suddenly, Kludd stopped dead in his tracks; something was wrong, he could feel it in his gizzard. He then raced back towards his chamber in a mad dash, only to find Jade pacing back and forth muttering, "What could I have done wrong?" and Cedar and Scourge staring at Dustin, who was sobbing uncontrollably. "What happened?" Kludd blurted out, even though some part of his gizzard knew.

Cedar then looked up towards Kludd and said, her voice breaking, "Dustin came to visit Garth before his Purity Test, to wish him good luck. They had just exchanged their well wishes when Brutus stormed in with Purge, rage in both their eyes. I don't know how Brutus knew, but he did, and he then pointed a wing at Garth and shreed, 'See that, sir? Your own son is tainting the very name of the Pure Ones!' Garth tried to defend himself and Dustin, tried to reason with his father, but then Purge just flew straight at Garth and… and…"

Dustin then broke in. "I tried to save him, tried to stop Purge, but… it was too late." He then shreed mournfully, "Why, Glaux? What has this owl done wrong?"

It was precisely at this moment that Kludd saw Garth's body lying in a pool of blood, his neck twisted at an odd angle and his face frozen in an expression of horror, and felt his mind grow numb and his gizzard grow cold. Not Garth, who Jade expressed great faith in from night 1. Not Garth, who had helped Kludd hone his strategy and had laughed off the injuries he got as a response. Not Garth, who kept Kludd's biggest secret and trusted him enough to tell him his. Him and Garth were supposed to graduate this ceremony, have their Special, become officers together. It was all so wrong.

And at that moment, Kludd began to cry.

That night, Nyra announced the names of the instructors whose students would go on to prepare for their Specials: Instructor Ash, Instructor Coalbeak, Instructor Mudfeather, Instructor Crowblaze, Instructor Nighthawk, Instructor Gengko, Instructor Katana, Instructor Scorpio, Instructor Cassius, and Instructor Jade. Kludd, however, did not clack his beak in approval as he did after the Nest Maid Ceremony; instead, he glared at Brutus, his eyes turning to stone. _I'd kill that owl. _He thought to himself. _If I could kill him and bring Garth back in his place, I would._ He then noticed that Dustin had wilfed considerably and realized he probably hadn't made it through his Purity Test. Either that, or his actions with Garth had disqualified his entire class. Either way, it wasn't fair, but it was probably for the best; if Kludd had to look at Dustin again, all he would ever remember was the friend he lost.

His thoughts were soon interrupted by a beak going through his shoulder feathers, and Kludd turned around to find Jade and Nyra standing behind him. "I've just talked to Her Pureness." Jade said, her voice sounding as though she had been crying. "She has agreed to allow you, Scourge, Cedar, and Dustin to pay your final respects to Garth, on the condition that you do so away from the fortress." She then flew off to relay the message to Cedar and Scourge, while Nyra and Kludd stayed behind.

"I'm sorry." Nyra said, her voice soft and sympathetic. "There is nothing I can do about our policies, but he did not deserve to have this happen to him."

Kludd shook his head. "Why?" he choked out through sobs. "Why did they do this? Garth was as loyal to the Pure Ones as an owl can be! Why did who he love make any difference? That changes nothing, I tell you, NOTHING!" He then collapsed into Nyra's embrace, sobs wracking his body.

"I know, Kludd," she replied, her wings wrapped around him. "I know." She then looked into his black eyes, her own shining with love and understanding. "May I go with you?"

Kludd was about to object, but he realized there was no point in blaming Nyra; there's no way she could've known. "Of course." He replied. "Of course you can come."

As the celebrations dragged on that night, Kludd, Nyra, Cedar, Dustin, and Scourge flew towards Silverveil, Dustin carrying Garth's body. Silverveil had been Cedar's idea, since this was where Garth had hatched. After they landed, they created a pyre to lay Garth's body upon and, after laying him upon it, Scourge then went to find a rouge smith, while Kludd began Garth's Final Ceremony.

"Today," began Kludd, eyes shining solemnly, "we have come to Silverveil to honour a dear friend and a treasured colleague in a manner befitting to all fallen warriors. For while he had not been fully recognized as a warrior, he was a fighter in his heart, his mind, and his gizzard. May his spirit forever rest in glaumora." At this moment, Scourge and a rogue smith arrived with a bucket full of embers, while Cedar sang a special song to honour their friend:

_This is a story that I have never told  
>I gotta get this off my chest to let it go<br>I need to take back the light inside you stole  
>You're a criminal<br>And you steal like you're a pro_

_All the pain and the truth  
>I wear like a battle wound<br>So ashamed, so confused  
>I was broken and bruised<em>

_Now I'm a warrior  
>Now I've got thicker skin<br>I'm a warrior  
>I'm stronger than I've ever been<br>And my armor, is made of steel, you can't get in  
>I'm a warrior<br>And you can never hurt me again_

_Out of the ashes, I'm burning like a fire  
>You can save your apologies, you're nothing but a liar<br>I've got shame, I've got scars  
>That I will never show<br>I'm a survivor  
>In more ways than you know<em>

_Cause all the pain and the truth  
>I wear like a battle wound<br>So ashamed, so confused  
>I'm not broken or bruised<em>

_'Cause now I'm a warrior  
>Now I've got thicker skin<br>I'm a warrior  
>I'm stronger than I've ever been<br>And my armor, is made of steel, you can't get in  
>I'm a warrior<br>And you can never hurt me_

_There's a part of me I can't get back  
>A little owl grew up too fast<br>All it took was once, I'll never be the same  
>Now I'm taking back my life today<br>Nothing left that you can say  
>Cause you are never gonna take the blame anyway<em>

_Now I'm a warrior  
>I've got thicker skin<br>I'm a warrior  
>I'm stronger than I've ever been<br>And my armor, is made of steel, you can't get in  
>I'm a warrior<br>And you can never hurt me again_

_No oh, yeah, yeah_

_You can never hurt me again _

As she sang, Scourge dropped an ember onto the pyre, and as the flames grew hotter and hotter, Kludd felt his rage burning alongside it – rage at the High Tyto, rage at Brutus, rage at Purge. But there was one owl in particular whom Kludd hated most of all; one Kludd felt was responsible for his friend's death. And after Cedar had finished singing, Kludd shreed that owl's name into the night:

"SSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEENNNNNNNN!"

**A/N: And the tension mounts... OMG, I feel so bad for Kludd now; I can't believe I put him through that. All the same, Garth was doomed from the start. What did you guys think? That was definitely a long chapter; the words just... came out. Should I have broken that down into smaller parts? Oh, well. Oh, and the song Cedar sings is "Warrior" by Demi Lovato (although, I did modify one of the lyrics). As always, show some love and review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Guardians of Ga'Hoole or "Warrior"; all credit goes to their respective writers.**


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The next evening, Kludd got up, left for the fortress, and met up with Cedar and Scourge in his chamber. For a moment, he wondered where Garth was, and then the memory of the previous night came back to him – and with it, the rage he had felt at Soren. At that moment, Jade flew in and landed on her perch above the three.

"Alright everyone, listen up." Jade said, her voice now flat. "There will be no more classes for the next few weeks, nor will there be any from this point on. The next few weeks will be going into planning your Special, and after that, you will no longer be students, but full Pure Ones ready for battle." She then dismissed the three and flew off, while Cedar and Scourge went about discussing the ceremony.

"Do we get to kill an owl for this?" Scourge asked. "If so, I wish to find those rogues and kill them!"

Cedar sighed. "We will get to kill an owl," she replied, "but… it will have to be a family member." Upon hearing this, Scourge wilfed. Kludd, however, felt a thrill course through his gizzard. With all the rage he felt towards his brother, this ceremony would be easy.

"I have an uncle who always drove me crazy." Scourge said, trying to sound cheerful. "I could probably do without him."

"I suppose I could kill my cousin Lily." Cedar offered. _Probably hatched near a field of lilies. _Kludd thought to himself. "She was hatched with only one wing; she probably wouldn't be able to live a full life anyway." She then turned her head towards Kludd. "What about you, Kludd? Who will you sacrifice?"

Unlike his chambermates, Kludd began immediately looking forward to the ceremony since he heard about what it would entail. He looked Cedar in the eye and said, in a voice without hesitation, "My brother, Soren."

The next few weeks went into planning each owls' Special. Eventually, Scourge had decided that he would drown his uncle in a lake nearby, while Cedar had decided that she would give Lily Doll's Eyes berries, which would ensure that her death was quick and painless. "If I'm going to kill her," Cedar had reasoned, "she at least deserves that much." No one was going to argue with her; many knew full well what Cedar was capable of, but most just wanted her to complete the ceremony.

Kludd, meanwhile, planned his brother's death just as meticulously. Outright murdering him was nixed from the get – go; his parents would no doubt find out. He couldn't drown him either; there weren't a lot of close by lakes in Tyto, and if it took too long, his parents would suspect something. Maybe, just maybe, he could give Soren poisonous berries, but someone would witness it; even if he managed to do it undetected, Cedar would chew him out for stealing her idea. No, he had to think of his own idea.

That was when Kludd remembered something his Da once said in his lectures: _An owl that is separated from its parents before it has learned to fly and hunt cannot survive. _Up until this point, Kludd never thought he would be grateful for his Da's lectures, but now, an idea came to him, clear as day:

He would push Soren out of the nest!

The morning before his Special, Nyra flew with him to his home in Tyto, stopping a little ways away so that she could watch the ceremony undetected. Kludd had gone to sleep as per usual that morning, but when evening finally came, Kludd woke up the moment his parents left the nest to go hunting. Quietly as possible, he waited for Soren to creep to the edge of the hollow and look for them, then flew towards Soren and gave him a swift kick with his talons, sending him tumbling out of the nest.

_There. _Thought Kludd. _That should do it. _He was just about to creep out through the back way to meet with Nyra when he felt Mrs. P nudge him with her head. He grunted in response, but Mrs. P persisted. "Don't be grumpy, Kludd. Your brother has… has… taken a tumble, as it were."

_Does she suspect anything? _Kludd thought to himself as he went to go peer out of the hollow and found Soren on the ground, still very much alive. Not that that mattered, the raccoons would get him soon. "Oh my." Kludd said flatly, "I say, you've got yourself in a terrible fix."

"I know, Kludd. Can't you help?" Soren cried out to his brother. "You know more about flying than I do. Can't you teach me?"

_After what you've done? _Kludd thought. _Not on your life. _However, he said none of this aloud. Instead, he replied, "Me teach you? I wouldn't know where to begin. Have you gone yoicks?" He then churred and added, "Stark – raving yoicks. Me teach you?" before laughing again.

"I'm not yoicks." Soren replied. "But you're always telling me how much you know, Kludd. You've already had your First Flight ceremony. Tell me how to fly, Kludd."

Kludd shook his head. "One cannot tell another how to fly. It's a feeling, and besides, it is really a job for Mum and Da. It would be very impertinent of me to usurp their position."

"What are you talking about? Usurp?" Soren cried out. _Of course Soren wouldn't know the meaning of usurp. _Kludd thought to himself. Now, however, would not be the time to explain such things.

Kludd then drew himself up into a serious posture. "I can't do it, Soren." Kludd replied, trying to sound contrite. "It would be extremely improper for a young owlet like myself to assume this role in your life."

"My life isn't going to be worth two pellets if you don't do something." Soren pleaded. "Don't you think it is improper for you to let me die? What will Mum and Da say to that?"

"I think they will understand completely." Kludd replied, and Soren simply stared at Kludd, dumbfounded.

"I'm going to get help, Soren. I'll go to Hilda's." Mrs. P rasped to Soren.

_No! _Kludd thought to himself. If Mrs. P got help, his plans would be ruined, and he would have to resort to drastic measures. "I wouldn't if I were you, P." Kludd said in a warning tone.

"Don't call me P." Mrs. P replied in a no – nonsense voice. "That's so rude."

"That's the last thing you have to worry about P." Kludd went on. "Me being rude."

"I'm going, Kludd." Mrs. P said firmly. "You can't stop me."

At this, Kludd flew towards Mrs. P's exit hole, blocking it. "Can't I?" he said, his tone now threatening. Mrs. P, however, simply found another exit hole and went for it. No matter, by the time she returned, it would be too late. With that, Kludd took his secret exit and flew towards where Nyra was perched, where one word from her beak awaited him: "Congratulations."

At long last, Kludd was a Pure One

That night, Kludd, along with Cedar, Scourge, and a company of Tytos made their way towards the High Tyto. His class, along with those of Instructor Ash, Instructor Crowblaze, Instructor Nighthawk, and Instructor Katana had passed their Specials and were now about to be given new Pure One names, as per the custom when an owl finally became a Pure One. Kludd's gizzard lept for joy when he learned that Brutus would not be passing. _Serves him right. _Kludd thought to himself before the memory of Garth's death filled him again. His only comfort that night came from Cedar, who had wrapped her wing around Kludd and whispered, "Garth would be proud of all of us, Kludd. Remember that."

"Enter!" Ag barked, interrupting Kludd's thoughts, and the owls stood in a line before him, bowing their heads in obeisance before Ag cued them to raise their heads. "It is time for you all to begin your proper training as full-fledged Pure Ones." He began. "From now on, you will only be known by your Tytonic Union names and will forget any previous name you have ever had." Nyra gave an encouraging nod towards Kludd, and Kludd felt his gizzard swell.

One by one, Ag flew towards each owl and gave them their new Pure One names, followed by the bowing of the named owls' heads. Finally, it came time for the owls in Kludd's group to be named. Ag first approached Scourge. "You will henceforth be known as Banshee, for your shree shall strike terror into the hearts of the Impure"

_Banshee. _Kludd thought to himself. _That's a much better name than Scourge or Pigwidgeon. _Banshees were fierce spirits the Others had thought of that let out ear – shattering screams, and a Barn Owl's shree could easily be mistaken for one.

Scourge then nodded and bowed his head, and the High Tyto approached Cedar. "You," he said, "you will henceforth be known as Blaze, for your rage burns hot like fire, and your feathers shall streak through the night and be the last thing your victims see." Cedar then bowed her head. _Blaze. _Kludd thought to himself. _A fierce name for a fierce owl._

At last, the High Tyto approached Kludd. "And you," the High Tyto leaned in. There was a gleam in his eyes, and Kludd straightened himself up in anticipation. "You, Kludd Alba, who have proven yourself time and time again as a worthy Pure One; from this night forth, you shall be known as Bloodstar, for your gizzard, full of blood and rage, makes you a shining example for all Pure Ones to follow. I have a feeling you will lead us to greatness very soon"

Kludd could hardly believe his ear slits. The High Tyto, the mightiest of all the Pure Ones, trusted him! He bowed his head, his body quivering. "I'm honoured, Your Pureness." Kludd replied. "I will not let you down." In his mind, one thought flew through his brain like a falcon:

_I am Bloodstar, the fiercest soldier the Pure Ones have ever seen – terror of Tyto!_

**A/N: Looks like Kludd has finally become a Pure One. He's now one step closer to becoming Metal Beak... So, what did you guys think of that chapter? You guys like Kludd's Pure One name? I was really fond of the names "Banshee" and "Blaze" for Scourge and Cedar, but I wasn't really sure what to call Kludd, so I made that name up. As always, show some love and review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Guardians of Ga'Hoole; full credit goes to Kathryn Lasky.**


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The moment Kludd had received his new name, everything changed from that point out. Gone were the routine classes each and every day; him, Blaze, and Banshee would go out on scouting missions in many different kingdoms, recruiting Tytos in the Shadow Forest, Ambala, Silverveil, and even Tyto. There was no denying that Silverveil was the hardest for the three of them, as memories of Garth and his Final ceremony came flooding back. Nevertheless, they went, determined to expand the ranks of the Pure Ones.

Kludd's parents, of course, were devastated to find Soren gone that morning. Kludd, of course, made up a lie and said that he had fallen out of the nest into the jaws of a raccoon, and that he had tried to save him. Mrs. P, of course, said nothing, and from that point on, his parents had instructed him to keep a watchful eye on Eglantine. Kludd, of course, swore on his life, but the moment his parents left, so did he.

Of course, he made sure Eglantine never told anyone. "You know what will happen if you tell, right?" Kludd said to Eglantine one evening.

"You'll throw Fluffy to the raccoons." Eglantine replied. Fluffy was her owlipoppen.

"Glaux damn right I will." And with that, Kludd spread his wings and flew off into the night.

When Kludd arrived at the fortress that night, Banshee raced towards him, panicked. "Banshee, what…" Kludd began, but before he could finish the question, Banshee answered it. "Something bad's happened to Blaze. I mean, _really _bad." With that, Banshee raced back to where he came from, with Kludd following close behind. When he got there, he found Blaze perched on a small stone, tears in her eyes, while Jade and Morgana whispered soothing things into her ear slit.

Banshee made a small coughing sound, and Jade turned her head to find him and Kludd watching the scene, Kludd with eyes wide in shock. Jade then flew down and alighted in front of Kludd. "One night, after you left, the High Tyto summoned Blaze to his chamber. Blaze went, thinking that it was something important, and… and…" She then turned to Blaze, hesitant. "Do you want to tell Bloodstar this part or should I?"

Blaze then made a sound halfway between a sniffle and a sigh. "No, it's okay," she told Jade, "I'll tell him." She then looked Kludd dead in the eye and told her tale. "When I got to his chamber, the High Tyto motioned for me to come in before I could bow my head. When I got there, he said, 'One of my most esteemed commanders wanted to meet you.' I looked at him, confused, and he simply laughed. 'Don't worry, Blaze; I only told him good things.' He then motioned at the wall behind him, and out of that wall… flew Purge, right towards me."

Kludd felt dread building up within his gizzard upon learning that his closest friend came face to face with Garth's father – and his murderer. Blaze went on. "The High Tyto then said he'd leave us to talk alone. When he left, Purge turned towards me and said that since his sons… defection, that he had been looking for a new mate, one that would hatch him a son without any imperfections. He then said that he had heard good things about me, about my rage, and he told me that I was a perfect candidate. I promptly refused that offer, telling him that I had standards and that, for me, mating with an owl like him would be grosnik. Well, that got him really mad, and before I could even register what happened, he pinned me down and…" Blaze's eyes, at this point were filled with tears. "He force – mated me, Bloodstar. It was absolutely awful."

Upon hearing this, Kludd wilfed to about a third of his size. Force – mating, his Da had once told him, was the worst thing a male owl could do to a female. It was loveless, despicable, cruel, and cowardly, his Da had said, before adding that he would be damned to hagsmire before he saw one of his sons force – mate any owl. Blaze then immediately broke down, and Jade rushed back towards her side while Morgana gave her a reassuring pat on the back. "It wasn't your fault, sweetheart," she said quietly, "you did nothing wrong,"

Kludd felt his rage at Purge boil up his insides. First Garth's murder, and now this! Blaze had been closer to Kludd than even Garth had; Kludd and Banshee were probably the only two now who remembered Blaze's true name: Cedar. She was as much a Pure One as Kludd and Banshee were, but Purge was not; Purge was a despicable owl who was pure in body but impure in gizzard. Kludd then made a promise, not so much to Blaze as to himself: he would kill Purge if it was the last thing he did.

That day, Kludd flew out towards Ambala, with Banshee, Stryker, Uglamore, and Purge in tow. Prior to leaving, Kludd flew towards the High Tyto's office to request a change in the scouting patrol, saying that Blaze had been injured the previous night by rogues. Upon hearing this, Ag had originally requested that Sagetalon, a Masked Owl who was initiated the same night as Kludd, take Blaze's place in the patrol, but Kludd objected, asking for Purge to fill Blaze's place as he would be more experienced and may be better able to handle rogues. Upon hearing this, Ag expressed pride in Kludd for taking initiative and not only did he agree to let Purge take Blaze's place, he made Kludd the leader of the patrol. "Take special note of this one, Purge." Ag had said when Purge approached. "I have a feeling he will become a Pure One legend."

They had reached the middle of Ambala when Kludd stopped the patrol. "We should split up from here, so as to cover more ground." Kludd reasoned. "Stryker, take Uglamore and Banshee to the southeast quadrant of Ambala. Me and Purge will cover the northwest quadrant." Stryker simply nodded and flew with Uglamore and Banshee southeast; one of the good things about being someone's favourite, Kludd mused.

When him and Purge had flown a good ways northwest, Kludd settled down onto a maple stump nearby, followed by a rather confused Purge. There was a moment of silence, and then Kludd spoke up. "I was good friends with your son, you know."

Purge looked at Kludd, shocked. "It's true." Kludd went on. "Him and I were in the same pit. He was a skilled fighter and would've made a wonderful –"

Purge quickly cut him off. "I stopped acknowledging him as my son," he growled, "when he became impure in mind. I blame that stupid Sooty he always hung around with; I knew that owl was impure the minute I set eyes on him."

_So Garth and Dustin had been in love. _Kludd thought to himself. He pressed on. "The only one impure in mind," he growled back, "is you, Purge. The Pure Ones do not believe in cowardice, and yet I see that a coward is among their ranks."

Purge's eyes widened in disbelief at this accusation. "I am not a coward!" he hissed, going into the classic Barn Owl threat display.

Kludd saw this and quickly matched Purge's display with one of his own. "Really?" he replied. "Murdering your own son? Force – mating one of the most promising Pure One soldiers here? What does that say to you? Because to me," he sneered, "those things spell cowardice." He then charged towards Purge, claws extended, and by the time Purge was able to register what was happening, he was laying on the ground, his blood pouring out of his body, while Kludd stood over him and watched. Blood was all over his face and belly, but he didn't care; all he wanted was revenge for Garth – and Blaze. "May you rot in hagsmire." Kludd finally said, and with that, he flew away, leaving Purge to die in Ambala.

"What in the world happened to you?" Marella shreed when she saw Kludd later that night. When Kludd had caught up with the patrol back in Ambala, he told them that a group of rogues killed Purge and that he, in turn, killed one of the rogues in vengeance. However, he had forgotten to wash the blood off his face before flying home that day, so coming up with something to tell his parents would be harder; however, Kludd quickly figured something out.

"I saw a fox scuttling around near the base of the tree." Kludd said breathlessly. "He looked like he might climb the tree any second and snatch Eglantine and after what happened to Soren…" he paused, bowing his head in mock sorrow, "I wanted to do something for you and Da so… I killed it."

"Well, do not ever try that again!" Noctus reprimanded his son. "You could have died fighting that fox!"

"I know, Da." Kludd said with forced shame. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again." That night, however, as the family slept, Kludd only had one thought on his brain: _What I did Garth, I did for you. _And before Kludd went to sleep that night, he could've sworn he heard a voice whispering, "I know."

**A/N: Wow, karma is an angry bitch, huh? I, for one, am quite satisfied by Kludd's vengeance on Purge. As it was written in The Outcast, "Stupid creature deserved to die." Oh, and for those of you wondering, Kludd's threat to Eglantine for if she tells Mum and Da is a reference to the movie "Donnie Darko", only I had to modify the line, since owls don't have garbage disposals... As always, show some love and review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Guardians of Ga'Hoole or Donnie Darko; full credit goes to their respective writers.**


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

When Kludd arrived at the fortress the next evening, Purge's blood washed off of his face, there was a great deal of commotion surrounding Purge's death. "Do you think it might have been his son's scroom?" A Barn Owl soldier named Screecher whispered, frightened.

"Nonsense!" Stryker boomed. "Scroom's can't kill other owls. Besides, Bloodstar told us it was rogues who attacked our dear Purge."

"I heard," said a Grass Owl named Lionface, "that Purge's old mate, Aaralyn, went mad when she learned of her son's death and flew to Ambala to kill Purge herself."

"Why would she be mad?" countered a Masked Owl named Crimsonclaw. "Doesn't she have a new mate in the Shadow Forest?"

"New mate." Replied Lionface. "Not new son."

Kludd, however, took no part in the gossip and flew on to the new chamber he shared with Banshee and Blaze, only to find that Blaze was missing. Banshee then turned towards Kludd. "Shortly after you left to talk to the High Tyto, Blaze began searching for a nest. We later learned the reason why; she now had an egg that she laid as soon as she found the nest. I had offered to take care of it with her, but she told me she was giving the egg up. She was worried that, if it grew up here, it would someday meet it's father, and if it was anything like Garth…" Banshee shuddered, and Kludd knew exactly what he meant; if the chick was anything like Garth and Purge was still around, it wouldn't stand a chance. "She told me of a pair of eagles in Ambala who took care of her after her parents died, Streak and Zan. She told me that the egg would have a better chance with them than it would with the Pure Ones, and that she would bring it to them. She just left for Ambala a few minutes ago."

No sooner had Banshee said that than Blaze returned, obvious hurt in her eyes. "It is done." She said, her voice sounding slightly broken. "The chick will hatch and grow up surrounded by all the love it deserves." And with that, she walked on, her head held high, while Kludd flew off. If there was anyone who could make him feel better after all the chaos that was surrounding him, it was Nyra.

"I want you to kill the High Tyto." Nyra said almost as soon as Kludd approached her. Kludd had wanted to talk to her about everything that had happened over the past few weeks; however, when he heard this, he could barely believe his ear slits. His eyes widened in shock.

"You heard me." Nyra replied, her eyes glittering like polished river stones. "You are young and a skilled fighter; your training proved that more than anything. High Tyto Agamemnon has grown old and weak; he is slowly losing his youth and with it, his sanity." She then leaned into Kludd's ear slit and whispered, "Surely he won't be much of a problem for you after your work on Purge."

Kludd's bottom beak almost hit the floor at this. He looked at Nyra, surprised. "Yes, I knew that it was you who killed Purge. I was among those sent to find the body as soon as the High Tyto got the news; I could easily recognize your claw marks." A hard glare entered her black eyes. "I knew Purge from back when he was still called Logan. Him and I were in the same chamber, but I did not have the same friendship with him that you had with Garth. I hated Purge with all my gizzard; he called me "moonface" and would make the most inappropriate remarks imaginable, all while combing the Agamemnon's primaries. Eventually, Purge became jealous of me after I rose higher than him in rank, and after Agamemnon's previous mate Leonie died, Ag treated me no better than Purge did. I hated them both, so I was quite glad to see that you had the gall grot to do what I should've done a long time ago."

Kludd thought about this for a while. Nyra had a point; who had stood by when Purge had murdered Garth? Who had disqualified an entire class based on the harmless actions of one? Who had done nothing to stop Purge when he had force – mated Blaze? The more he thought about it, the hotter his rage burned inside his gizzard, and the clearer his answer became.

Kludd looked Nyra dead in the eye. "I will not let you down, my love." He said, his eyes a promise of loyalty and devotion. "But before we can begin planning this, there is something I must do; something I should've done a long time ago." And with that, Kludd flew back towards his chamber. It was time his friends knew the truth.

When Kludd returned to his chamber that day, he told Blaze and Banshee everything – how he had met Nyra while she was on a recruiting mission, how Ag and Nyra had invited him to join after his First Flight ceremony, how he snuck out each and every evening to join them, his love affair with Nyra – something that, until now, lay only with him and Garth – how he had pushed his brother from the nest for his Special, and how he had killed Purge to avenge both Garth and Blaze. Finally, in breathtaking detail, he had told them how Nyra wanted him to kill the High Tyto and to take his place. For a long time afterwards, there was only silence. Then, at last, Banshee spoke up.

"Kludd," he began, shocking Kludd by using his real name, "when I first came here, I was weak and alone. My parents had been killed by rogues, and I was on my last pair of wings when a patrol found me and brought me here. I then learned of all the amazing things the Pure Ones did and I felt ashamed of my own past, so I made up my own story and told everyone I was a fierce warrior. Blaze, of course," he said, churring, "or should I say Cedar, saw through me right away, but I digress." At this remark, Blaze churred. It felt good to hear her old name after everything that had happened.

"When I met you guys, I was scared, desperate, and angry; but soon, all of that disappeared, because with you guys, I felt like I had a home again. Kludd, you became the big brother I never had; you showed me how to truly be fierce and brave. Cedar," he said, gesturing to a now smiling Blaze, "you broke down each and every one of my walls; most of them by force, but eventually, all you had to do was touch, and they'd crumble. And Garth", he sighed, lowering his head, "Garth showed me what it meant to smile, to still be happy even when the odds are against you. I'd give both my wings for any of you guys, and I'll say it to anyone who asks." Blaze then let out a churr. "What I think Pigwidgeon means to say," she chirped, a flash of her old self showing, "is that, if this is what you truly want, then we'll stand by you down to the bitter end." She then wrapped her wings around Kludd, followed by Banshee, and Kludd felt like he was going to cry. "Thank you." he replied, moved by their devotion. "And I promise you both, no matter what happens, that as the family I wish I had, I shall do the same for the both of you." For a moment, there was silence. Then Banshee spoke up again.

"You know, Blaze," he said, "I never thought I'd say this, but it feels good to hear you say my old name." And with that, the three friends churred raucously into the night.

**A/N: OMG, I can't believe this fic is almost over! *cries like hell* This has been such an amazing journey for me and the support I have gotten for this fic is unbelievable. Each and every character feels like my baby, and now I know how parents feel when a child becomes grown up and leaves the nest (pardon the pun)! Seriously though, I'm gonna miss writing this thing, but after this, I will get to work on the spinoff starring Cedar (aka Blaze) and her chick, who I've decided will be a girl (speaking of which, I would love to hear name suggestions). As always, show some love and review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Guardians of Ga'Hoole; full credit goes to Kathryn Lasky. **


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

For weeks after that, Kludd and Nyra began to plan Ag's assassination. During this time, Blaze began showing Kludd some of the tricks she learned from the retired commander in Kuneer, and Nyra revealed some of Ag's weak points. "If he's struck near the back of the head, the fall will be hard, and it will be a while before he gets back up." She said to Kludd one day. "Also, if you chop at his wing or tail feathers, he won't be able to get away. And you know what they say, 'A downed bird is a dead bird'"

During training, Jade's words came back to Kludd, _You can't live with a wing in both worlds forever. _If Kludd was going to be High Tyto, then he couldn't keep flying back and forth; it was time to go to the fortress for good. So with Blaze's help, he found some Doll's Eyes berries, then when he went back to the hollow that morning, he scooped some water into two nut cups, crushed the berries, put them into the water, and handed them to his parents. "For my hard working mum and da." He said, watching as they thirstily guzzled the contents, then went to sleep almost immediately after. They died in their sleep that morning, and Kludd took a crying Eglantine to the fortress the next evening. "I know its hard, dear sister." He said, his voice consoling, "but I promise you, you'll be safe here." After dropping Eglantine near the entrance of the fortress, he went back and buried the bodies of his mum and da before flying away.

The evening Kludd and Nyra had planned to assassinate Ag, Banshee came towards him with a pair of battle claws, made of mu metal, incredibly sharp, and finely crafted. "You're gonna need these," Banshee had said as he presented the claws, "for what you're about to do." A smile then lit up Kludd's face; it seemed as if only yesterday he was trying to persuade his da to get battle claws, and now he was getting a pair of his own. Blaze then came up to him. "Whatever happens," Blaze said with great respect, "I'll always remember you as my leader."

Kludd's eyes suddenly grew misty as he realized what he was about to do; if he failed, he would never see these two owls again. "Promise me something, both of you." Kludd whispered, looking deep into their black eyes. "Banshee, promise me that if I fail, that you will go back to Silverveil, find Garth's mum, and tell her of her son's bravery and that he had friends who stood by him until his final hour." "I promise." Replied Banshee, and with that, Kludd turned to Blaze.

"Blaze," Kludd said seriously, "promise me that, no matter what happens, you'll find a way to keep in touch with your chick. You may be a little rough around the edges," he added, churring, "but you're also fiercely loyal and a kind soul; I know you'd make a wonderful mother, and your son or daughter is going to need that." "I promise." Blaze said with a nod, before her and Banshee pulled Kludd into a warm embrace. Eventually, Nyra made a slight coughing sound, and with that, Kludd pulled away. "Well, this is it." Kludd said as he followed Nyra, trying not to betray the nerves that were now wracking his body. "Thank you guys, for everything."

"Good luck, Rebel." Blaze said as he left. "You, my friend, are a legend."

As Kludd flew over Ag's quarters that day, he thought of the grim task he was about to complete. Ag was old, but he had been with the Pure Ones for many years, and he was undoubtedly a skilled fighter. Nevertheless, Kludd went into a kill spiral, talons extended, aiming for Ag's head. However, he extended his talons a little too late, and instead of plunging his talons into Ag's spinal cord, he gave Ag a blow that knocked him forward, but also bowled Kludd over and sent him tumbling head over talons into the ground.

"Wha…" Ag muttered, picking himself up off the ground, only for his eyes to widen in shock as he saw who it was. "Bloodstar!" he shreed, full of anger. "Hello, Your Pureness." Kludd said with a sneer, and with that, Kludd launched at Ag, his talons extended.

For a good long while, the two owls fought fiercely. Kludd dealt Ag several blows, and Ag, in turn, made several attacks of his own. "You will never win, owl." Ag barked, growing weary. "You may have my power, you may have my respect, you may even have my mate, but you will never have my throne!"

Kludd suddenly froze in horror. _How did he… _Before Kludd could finish the thought, Ag charged at Kludd and slashed at his face. "Oh, yes, I knew about you and Nyra's 'private classes'." He growled tauntingly. "I have my methods; these same methods allowed me to find out about the impure soldier you had in your group!"

Kludd suddenly came out of the yeep-like state he was in. _He arranged Garth's murder!_ Rage filled his every being and tempted him to lunge straight at Ag, but suddenly the memory of his success in his first Fight class with Garth pushed itself to the front of his brain, and with it, an idea. Just like with Garth, he feigned defeat and lay on his back. Ag, seeing his chance, flew over Kludd, talons extended, when Kludd suddenly thrust his talons forward… into Ag's heart.

A piercing shriek filled the fortress as Ag pierced himself with Kludd's claws, then crumpled to the ground, his heart no longer beating. Millions of Tytos gathered around to see what happened and were quite shocked when they saw Kludd, standing over Ag's body. "It's Bloodstar!" someone shreed. "Bloodstar killed the High Tyto!"

But Kludd didn't feel an overwhelming sense of victory; to be honest, most of what he felt was fatigue. He may have killed Ag, but Ag had done a number on his face, and he was losing blood. The last things Kludd heard before losing consciousness were the cries of Blaze and Banshee, and the last thing he saw was Nyra peering over him, an anxious look in her eyes.

When Kludd finally regained consciousness, he found Nyra, Blaze, and Banshee's faces peering over him. "Quiet," he heard Blaze whisper, "he's coming to." Then Nyra spoke up, "Kludd, my love, are you alright? How do you feel?"

"A little light – headed." Kludd groaned, and then realized half of his face was probably missing. "I'm quite a sight, aren't I?" He churred weakly.

"It's not all bad." Blaze offered comfortingly. "You can clearly still speak and see and hear. And aside from your face, no part of you was seriously injured, so you're still in fighting shape." She then put a wing around Kludd, holding him up as he made an effort to stand. Kludd then turned his head towards Nyra. "You know," he said morosely, "if you choose to find a different mate for yourself, I'll understand. I just hope he's a good owl."

"Kludd," Nyra cooed in response, "when I first met you, your appearance was of no matter to me; when I fell in love with you, I fell in love with your mind and your gizzard, not your face." She then whispered into his earslit, "Your rage is still my life's blood."

"And mine, yours." Kludd finished, dipping his head towards Nyra's in a gesture of love. Banshee cleared his throat, and Kludd lifted his head to find him standing there, holding a metal helmet in his claws. "Sorry to interrupt you lovebirds," he chided, flying towards Kludd. "but every king, Kludd, needs a crown." With that, he placed the helmet on his head and, along with Blaze, bowed their heads in obeisance until Kludd signaled them to rise. "Well," he said, a slight churr in his voice, "I don't suppose Bloodstar is a very good name for me anymore."

"So, what do we call you then, Rebel?" Blaze chided. Kludd then thought for a moment and then finally made a decision. "If anyone asks," he replied, "just call me Metal Beak."

**A/N: Holy racdrops! For those of you wondering, technically, this is the end of the story, but there is one more thing I want to write about before I draw this fic to a close. Like I said before, the support all of you guys have given me for this fic is phenomenal, and I'm so glad you have let me be a part of this amazing world. As always, show some love and review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Guardians of Ga'Hoole; full credit goes to Kathryn Lasky.**


	14. Epilogue

Epilogue

Kludd stood with Blaze, Banshee, Jade, Morgana, and Dustin under a stained glass window in what was once Ag's chamber while all the soldiers of the Pure Guard stood before them. Upon becoming High Tyto, Kludd had sent Banshee and Blaze on a patrol to find Dustin and bring him back to the Pure Ones, stating that he had been wrongly accused and that his recent reading of the documents found him to be innocent. It took quite a while – nearly two weeks – but Blaze and Banshee finally found him in a remote corner of the Shadow Forest and brought him back to the fortress, where Kludd gave him his Pure One name: Diamondclaw. "For like the diamonds found in coal," Kludd had said, "you had courage buried beneath a layer of tragedy." Upon receiving his new name, Diamondclaw bowed his head and said, "Thank you, High Tyto; I will not let you down", after which Kludd had ordered him to dispense with the formalities and, when they were in private, call him by his true name. For the next week afterwards, him and Nyra sent the Pure Guard out on various tasks to prepare for what Kludd considered to be the most important night of all: their wingfast ceremony.

Within moments, Stryker flew down towards where Kludd was standing, followed by Nyra, her moon – white face gleaming in the night. For the ceremony, Blaze, Jade, and Morgana – whom, due to their closeness, Nyra had chosen as her maid of honour – had weaved fire lily petals into Nyra's feathers – particularly the ones of her wings and tail. As they landed, Stryker departed from Nyra's side to join the audience, and Nyra took her place beside Kludd. "Kludd Alba and Nyra Klueel," Diamondclaw began as soon as the audience quieted, "we are all gathered here today to celebrate your choosing of each other as mates, as your friends and your loyal soldiers. And the five of us," he added, gesturing to himself and the others, "are gathered here to officiate this ceremony as your newly ordained ministers."

"LOUDER!" An old soldier named Volkan shreed. Many joked that Volkan was so old, he and Ag had been chambermates.

Blaze sighed and rotated her head in a clockwise motion – the closest an owl can get to rolling its eyes – and shreed back, "WE ALL GOT ORDAINED! WE'RE ALL GOING TO OFFICIATE THEIR WINGFAST CEREMONY, IT'S ADORABLE; IF YOU WANNA HEAR IT, COME CLOSER!"

Diamondclaw made a slight coughing sound and then began, "Kludd and Nyra, when I look at the two of you starting your lives together, it fills my gizz…" Here Diamondclaw paused, tears forming as memories of him and Garth came flooding back. "It fills my gizz…" He tried again, but this time the tears threatened to spill out, and he couldn't go on. "Okay, I'm gonna need a minute." He said, his voice broken, and he stepped back.

"Okay, I'll go." Blaze said, stepping forward in Diamondclaw's place. "Kludd and Nyra," she began, "you two may have taken a long time to finally find each other, but as my mother once said, "When you find your soulmate, it doesn't matter where you find them or how long it takes; in the end, all that matters is that you have each other." At this, most of the others smiled, save for Jade, who simply made a small humming noise.

"Problem?" Blaze snapped, turning her head towards Jade.

"Nope." Jade replied, shaking her head. At this, Banshee leaned into Blaze's ear slit. "From what I've gathered in recent gossip circles," he whispered, "I think the Reverend Jadalyn is making an ironic connection between your statement about soulmates and Stryker's recent rejection of her courtship." At this, the audience broke into nervous churring, while Stryker hid behind his wing. Blaze looked at Jade, unimpressed. "Really?" she growled, a note of impatience in her voice.

"I didn't say anything." Jade said, sounding innocent. At this, Morgana broke in. "Alright, enough, the both of you." She barked at Jade and Blaze. "She started it." Jade said, gesturing to Blaze. "Well, I'm ending it!" Morgana hissed, then turned her head to face Nyra and Kludd, who were staring at them with wide eyes.

"Nyra," Morgana began, "I would like to thank you first and foremost for choosing me to be your maid of honour. From the time you and I were put in the same chamber, we have been as close as sisters, and when Ag chose you to be his mate, I could tell that you were unhappy. Kludd, when I first met you, I was unsure what your arrival would mean for the Pure Ones, but now that I am seeing you here, I have a feeling many good things will happened." She then paused before adding, "With that being said, Nyra, I will be more than happy to do this again if this mating yarps out." At this, the others turned their heads to stare at Morgana, and Jade simply said, in an unsure voice, "Thank you, Morgana; very touching." She then stepped forward and began.

"Kludd and Nyra," she began, "the two of you are lucky enough to be best friends that love each other. That truly is the strongest kind of love, because, at it's core, it has patience, kindness, and respect." She then shot Stryker a look before adding, "Qualities that are hard to find in owls nowadays." Once again the audience broke out into nervous churrs, while Banshee leaned into Blaze again. "I think Stryker's gonna want some water; he just got burned", causing Blaze to churr and whisper, "Nice" while giving him a talon bump.

Banshee then stepped up to Kludd and Nyra. "Alright, my turn." He began. "Kludd." He said, nodding to Kludd. "Nyra." He said, nodding to Nyra, then began. "Tuoy brúðkaup fylla mi h'ryth með gleði, fyrir…" Kludd suddenly cut him off. "Banshee!" he hissed. "I told you no Krakish!" Banshee, looking slightly hurt, paused before replying. "Okay, fine, I'll do it in Hoolian, but it loses something." He then began, this time in Hoolian: "Your wingfast ceremony fills me with joy, for I truly believe that to find one's soulmate is the pinnacle of life achievements, as this is often a harder task than we make it out to be. Now that you two have found each other, may you find great happiness with each other and eternal joy now and for years to come." As he finished, he then turned to Blaze and added, "The Krakish would've made you cry", earning a "Let it go, Pigwidgeon…" from Blaze. Diamondclaw then stepped forward, having recovered himself. If he knew these two like he thought he knew them, then he knew that there would undoubtedly be bickering. "I believe the two of you have prepared vows."

Kludd and Nyra nodded and turned to face each other. "Kludd James Alba," she began, "like your attacks on the battlefield, this will be short and full of power." This earned a churr from the audience, and Nyra went on. "I love you with all of my mind, heart, and gizzard, and promise to be with you until our final breaths." She then preened the feathers on Kludd's shoulder – since he now had none anywhere near his face – and it was now Kludd's turn to speak. "Nyra Lutta Klueel…" he began.

"SPEAK UP!" shreed Volkan, cutting Kludd off. "I AM THE HIGH TYTO!" Kludd shreed back. "FROM NOW ON, SHE'S THE ONLY PURE ONE WHO CAN YELL AT ME!" Having spoken his piece, Kludd turned his head back towards Nyra and continued. "When I was a hatchling," he began, "I could never imagine spending an independent life with a female. Now, however, I can't imagine spending a single day of the rest of my life without you." With that, Kludd preened the feathers on the side of Nyra's face, and a chorus of voices behind them shreed, "By the power vested in us, by Gluax, the Kingdom of Tyto, and the Tytonic Union of the Pure Ones –"

"And the Northern Kingdoms." Banshee added quickly, earning a roll of the head from Blaze. The voices pressed on. "We now pronounce you, owl and wife!" With that, a chorus of cheers, hoots, and shrees from the audience and the five behind them erupted as Kludd and Nyra embraced. _At long last, _Kludd thought to himself, _I am home._

Later that evening, an amber – coloured owl flew through Ambala with only the stars to keep her company. A long time ago, she would have felt nothing but contempt for this place, as it reminded her of some of her worst memories, and never imagined that she would request to leave the High Tyto and Her Pureness' wedding reception to fly through here. Now, however, she felt only happiness as she flew forward, for tonight, as she flew, she had something to look forward to: the hatching of her first chick.

As she arrived at the aerie where the two eagles taking care of her egg lived, she thought about everything that had happened before and after this egg came into the world. Its father was an unloving, horrible brute, true, but before this egg, he had created another one; one that was brave and noble, one who lived on love and died from his father's hate. She would keep the legacy of this owl alive in this little hatchling's heart, as well as that of the other noble, brave, and fierce Tytos who she was proud to call her friends – and one whom she was proud to call her king. She would tell this hatchling stories of their bravery in battle, and she would hopefully stir bravery in her as well. For she had a feeling in her gizzard, like many a mother, that within this egg lay a feisty young female like herself.

She looked up at the stars above her. The Big Raccoon was visible tonight; she could see it just above her. However, when the eagles were taking care of her, she had heard them call it by a different name: Kira, the Great Eagle. She then smiled, a small churr escaping her. She had always found her families tradition around naming rather ridiculous – her original name came from a _tree, _for Glaux sake – but she rather liked the idea of naming this one after something of this environment. Owls were creatures of the sky, after all, so to name a hatchling after something found in the sky made sense.

A sudden _crack, _loud only to the ears of Barn Owls, distracted her from her thoughts, and she watched, fascinated, as the tiny chick began to peck it's way through with it's egg tooth. A part of her wondered whether it was a mistake giving her up. _No matter. _She thought to herself. _She will grow up here, knowing that she is loved; never thinking that she was never meant to be, which she'd most likely think if she found out the truth of her creation. Yes, it's better that she not know. _At long last, the chick hatched out of its egg shell, and the owl before her whispered, tears in her eyes, "Welcome to Ambala, little Kira."

**A/N: OMG, I'm now crying! I can't believe this fic is coming to it's end; I've had so much fun writing this, and I hope you guys have fun reading this! I'm not sure if eagles actually call the Big Raccoon "Kira", but either way, I do like how the name turned out. What do you guys think? Oh, and the inspiration for the wedding scene came from the wedding scene on the Season 5 finale of "The Big Bang Theory", although I definitely changed some things for context (I don't know a lot of Krakish, so I put in some known Krakish words and used Icelandic for the rest, since they are similar in sound). As always, show some love and review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Guardians of Ga'Hoole or The Big Bang Theory; full credit goes to their respective creators.**


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